Album Review: Soulsavers – Kubrick
2 min read
Every now and then it’s refreshing to sit back and give an instrumental album a spin; it refrains you from over thinking; it transports you to another world. This is exactly what Soulsavers have done with their Stanley Kubrick inspired album, Kubrick. Rich Machin, one half of Soulsavers alongside Ian Glover, revisited Kubrick’s films and decided he too wanted to create an ambient soundtrack.
Each of the eight tracks are named after characters from various Kubrick films. Soulsavers have paid close attention to detail with Kubrick setting different moods with the use of strings, piano, woodwind; the lot. The cinematic release begins with the drama-building DeLarge; driven in and out of intensity by the luscious violin, its subtle beat and the shy piano. Similarly Joker keeps up the depth of the release, definitely a song that could be licensed to a drama television show/movie.
For something warm and gripping you would turn to the ambient Clay, the strings are played to perfection and it feels like you’re drifting to a better place. Towards the end of the album you encounter Mandrake, which sounds triumphant with its confident strings arrangement and enticing atmosphere; like the resolution of a plot at the end of a movie. The conclusion to the album comes with Ziegler, a touching ballad with delicate keys and strings.
Kubrick should be listened to as a whole, just like a soundtrack or a concept album. Each track plays a vital part in the delivery and it just flows perfectly; as mentioned before, Soulsavers really paid close attention to every detail put on this record. If you’re after something lighthearted, dramatic and warming all at the same time, give Kubrick a go.
