Posted on: June 15, 2011 Posted by: James McQuiston Comments: 0

It has been a few years since the last time that we covered a Dustin O’Halloran title, but ey does a great job in reminding listeners where ey has been at the beginning of “Lumiere”. The disc’s first track, “A Great Divide”, corresponds to the distance that ey has placed between efforts like “Piano Solos Vol. 2”, as well as providing listeners with hints to what will follow over the course of the album. While the 6-minutes plus track length of “A Great Divide” may dissuade potential listeners, the different emotions and overall sounds broached during this initial track should be enough to keep one interested.

“Opus 44” is a decidedly different track than “A Great Divide”, complimenting a traditional piano-based sound with a much more electronic, ambient one. The track spins to close at a mere half of what “A Great Divide” was given, but it imbues “Lumiere” with the momentum needed to keep fans firmly seated. “We Move Lightly” is another shift for O’Halloran’s sound, with a third path boldly forged through the track’s three-minute runtime.

It is towards the end of “We Move Lightly” that listeners will begin to hear the narrative that O’Halloran looks to achieve. While each track on the album could be enjoyed separately, I believe that listeners should focus on the full album. Through a number of listens, I have gained different appreciations for individual tracks that would not normally have been created through shuffled or single plays. If you have a few hours open, buy a copy of “Lumiere”. You will be able to be taken away on smart compositions by an artist that is continually innovating.

Top Tracks: We Move Lightly, Fragile N. 4

Rating: 8.2/10

Dustin O’Halloran – Lumiere / 2011 Fat Cat Records / 9 Tracks / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dustin-OHalloran/193799986827

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