It's nice, in this age of vanishing CDs and the advancement of digital downloads, to receive an album on good old fashioned vinyl. Not that there's anything old fashioned about Eclipse. The sound is perfect, a skilfully crafted 12" black vinyl disc full of magic. Produced, mastered and overdubbed in various German studios.
However, irrespective of what goes on behind the scenes it's the music that's all important and Blair/Huber don't disappoint the interplay between the two is awesome. League and Lawrence of Snarky Puppy spring to mind.
The album opens with the title track. Eclipse. A mournful wail from Blair probes and explores. The tone round and pure the technique gradually stretching before fading. Chasing Down Lessing Street reflects the night Blair's car was written off by a reckless driver after leaving the studio. Nobody was hurt - least of all this listener.
Hideaway has a secretive feel to it as both sax and guitar draw inspiration from the hypnotic theme. The cleverly titled Prism Break is given a lift with the addition of Noah Fürbringer's rhythmic support.
Side B opens with Interlude - 44 seconds of not much. Purple Dust has more meaningful substance with Blair letting rip over a carillon of sounds. A hovering, dreamy, aura permeates Titan, a serene, repetitive theme that features Seck's Latin rhythm. Gamblin' is complex. It could apply to crapshooters rolling dice in the backroom of a bar or newborn lambs frollicking in a meadow unaware of what the future may hold for them.
The album concludes with 1/1/25. At 4.55 mins it's the longest track with some beautiful playing from both players. Seck mumbles an incantation - either in German or his native Senegalese.
An interesting record that initially I found puzzling but, as the turntable spun, I found it growing on me to the extent that I had to play it again. I discovered that it's really rather good.
Check it out on BANDCAMP. Lance
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