Balmorhea
Self-Titled (2014 Re-Issue)
Western Vinyl
Street: 10.14
Balmorhea = Musk Ox + Marc Euvrie

Starting out soft with “Baleen Morning,” Balmorhea slowly create a delicate soundscape with an acoustic classical guitar that felt like I was attending a fancy garden tea party. The soothing sounds on this album make it a good pick for a relaxation spa, but I don’t know if I’d choose to listen to it in many other settings. “En Route” is another example of the slow buildups in more technically oriented works, with the guitar and piano interplaying gracefully, but as the mellowness wears off, the chanting starts coming in, which felt a little odd. It’s basic enough to not mind, but too basic to really get drawn in. –Brinley Froelich