Norse Horse “Grids”
Norse Horse
Grids EP
Family Time Records
Norse Horse is the manifestation of 28 year Los Angeles resident Ryan Beal who is a teacher of international students and a long time dedicated musical composer. With the release of a full length album Secret Geographies on Family Time Records in 2009, the full length mapped location after location of influence. Norse Horse shocked its audience with how unique the arrangements were on Secret Geographies. Front to back, the album contains beautiful and respectful nods to the abundant and rich legacy of rock, folk, cumbia, blue grass, doo wop, soul, dub, ethiopian funk and so much more. The panoramic view of the world comes into full and the travels and experiences of Ryan Beal show its affect.
All of these genres Norse Horse utilize become separated by the end of the album and you realize Norse Horse has created a sound all their own. Norse Horse have again set the standard high for molding together intriguing and tasteful genre collages with the release of their second record Grids with Family Time Records. Family Time always gives the highest attention to content just as much as it does packaging and Grids hits that same mark. With Kristina Collantes on art and design work for the cover and layout, you know this is the kind of release that is as visually pleasing as it is sonically.
Photo from Norse Horse
Grids is 5 songs and 20 minutes of perfectly blended and mixed progressive rock with hints and shades of influences from all over the spectrum. It’s moving and mind blowing when you realize almost all of this music is recorded by just one man. That man, Ryan Beal. The first piece ‘Moonbeams’ starts with a beautiful psychedelic swirling synth tone that pulls around the mix and shows just how dynamic the mix will be for this record. As much lyrical as it is complex in arrangement, ‘Moonbeams’ is beautiful murky dream pop with acoustic guitar blended perfectly into the bubbling sea of electric additives. Just as the song tastefully works itself inside out, the song breaks down and a haunting sequence follows with the electric guitar and synth overtones having a marvelous relationship with one another. Vocally, the song is engaging on every level, with sub layers and background vocals added in. Queen would be proud of this record. Just as ‘Moonbeams’ creation of everlasting crescendos of dreamy harmonies move in all directions in the mix, the song breaks down immediately and the summer anthem vibe of ’Swells’ doesn’t waste any time getting into the body of the song.
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After the first verse of ‘Swells’, the section that follows is glorious and the bass and keyboard tones add some of the best moments on the album for me. This song has that constant groove that always keeps everything moving forward and makes me feel like I am watching a 50′s movie. If you have heard Therapies Son or Summer Twins, you will definitely know what type of sound I am talking about. The song that impacted my dozens of listens the most with Grids is the song ‘Starshores’. The spiritual tone of the percussion that is drenched in delay and the passionate and wave like guitar passages create emotional vibrancy on very rewarding levels. Contemplative but more importantly joyous, ‘Starshores’ glows with the radiance of untouched beaches, lush canvased forests and all the other elements of this world that the earth has painted for us to see. The piece starts with what sounds like an old 78rpm violin extract that is looped. The dusty vinyl sounds create that unknown element of surprise in the sound spectrum, much like the wavering pitch tonality of the bends, chords and effects used with the guitar. Vocals glide over the mix like an approaching tide that has just begun its cycle and motion. Back and forth, under and out, the vocals are gently placed in the mix and is a beautiful showcase of the bands attention to dynamics and not just high amp levels. Imaginative and mysterious, this song reminds me of all the times I have been around Ryan Beal.
The closing track, ‘Almost’ is the perfect way to end an album. Freddie Mercury style vocal harmony shapes the intro with a build up of emotional testimony. The guitar sound is huge on the intro, the amount of style used for each song is profound and this song has the perfect tone on the album to me for how the instruments are placed. Once the brief intro dissipates abruptly, the groove that ensues finds its way into your shoulders and into your neck. Movement begins and you can’t begin to believe how happy and good this music feels. Lyrically the album is steeped in a mixed bag of emotional content, but the setting is joyous on all levels to me. Everyone to the dance floor for this number. Bass lines come out of the pocket and show character and color. This is a small window into how every instruments is given proper tonal range and consideration. This complex arrangement of dynamics proves to benefit the mix so well. Family Time Records is releasing some of the best experimental rock music from today’s evolving generation and Norse Horse has released what I call perfection with the EP Grids. – Erik Otis
Tracklisting
- Moonbeams
- Swells
- Sun Corridor
- Starshores
- Almost
From the notes on the back of the album:
All songs, written, performed and recorded by Ryan Beal with the exception of:
Andey Pompey: drums on 1,2,3 and 5
Aaron Freeman: harmonies on 2
Aaron Roche: harmonies on 4
Sarah Gautier: accordion on 1
Check out the official video for ‘Swells’ created by Alice Cohen
