Let's Emerge!

Theres a distinctly subterranean feel to many of Martin Jenkins albums as Pye Corner Audio. On Ghost Box offerings like 2019s Hollow Earth and 2021s Entangled Routes, the intricate counterpoint and the impossibly deep bass holding it down suggested a rich secret life under the surface. On Lets Emerge!, however, Pye Corner Audio turns to meet the sun. A collaboration with guitarist Andy Bell, Jenkins first studio release for Sonic Cathedral captures the euphoria of going out into the world again, whether due to the end of winter or a global pandemic. Tracks like "De-Hibernate," where beaming synths seem to push through the soil and a distantly ticking drumbeat is the only thing keeping them from floating away entirely, are the complete opposite of the dense, mysterious sound-worlds Pye Corner Audio is known for, but theyre just as evocative. The feeling of lightness and relief is almost palpable on "Lyracal," which forsakes Jenkins usual details for a birds-eye view of airy and spacious tones, and on "Sun Stroke," which represents the Venn diagram where Brian Eno, My Bloody Valentine, and Boards of Canada intersect. The occasional shadows that pop up on Lets Emerge! only reinforce just how bright and gravity-defying the album is as a whole: The heavy synths that pry themselves out of inertia on "Does It Go Dark?" suggest a different kind of sci-fi mystery and majesty than any of Pye Corner Audios previous work, and though "Lets Emerge, Pt. 1" leans into new age serenity with crashing waves, its massive drones feel more sacred than blissful. Later on, Jenkins reintroduces some of Pye Corner Audios more recognizable elements, like the burbling tones of "Haze Loops" or the signature arpeggios that push "Saturation Point," one of the records most transporting moments, into the stratosphere. Similarly, his enduring restraint ensures that the albums warmth and sweetness never become cloying or obvious even on the grand finale, "Warmth of the Sun," a culmination of Bells guitar, Jenkins synths, and chanted, processed vocals that attains cosmic heights. Though Pye Corner Audio didnt necessarily need make such a drastic change, Jenkins pulls it off brilliantly, and Lets Emerge! celebrates the beauty of his music like never before. ~ Heather Phares