Skellig

A notable departure from the folktronica neo-soul of 2019s Gold in a Brass Age, Skellig, David Grays meditative 12th long-player, evokes a water strider navigating the morning mist on a serene lake. Both bucolic and melancholic, the 13-song set certainly bears the hallmarks of a Gray production -- lyrical, raspy folk-rock seasoned with tasteful electronic flourishes -- but the layers of crisp, adult contemporary pop that have defined his past works have largely been peeled away. Recorded at Edwyn Collins studio in Scotland with the assistance of cellist Caroline Dale, vocalist Niamh Farrell, and Mossy Nolan, Skellig is undeniably minimalist, but the contributions from the Irish musicians, who include lush multi-part harmonies, provide plenty of emotional punctuation. Commencing with the placid title cut, Skellig unfolds in soft waves of quietude with nary a percussion instrument in sight. Split proportionally between acoustic guitar and piano, songs like Heart and Soul and The White Owl hint at grand crescendos, but ultimately choose elegance over opulence. Patient and occasionally pained, much of the material wrestles with the notion of isolation, both physical and mental, with both realms being put under the magnifying glass on the pensive closing cuts Cant Hurt More Than This and All That We Asked For. Gray has always been reflective, but in removing some of his sonic crutches, hes unearthed a bit of Van Morrisons mystic soul-food shine and brought his acumen as a songwriter front and center. ~ James Christopher Monger