G.S. Schray - Whispered Something Good

New one from Akron's G.S. Schray to usher in a summer that at one point it didn't seem like we were gonna get (still might not tbf; it's all up for grabs). But rain or shine, Schray remains on the same vaporous escapist tip he's made a name for himself over the past four albums or so, displaying a Talk Talk-like command of minimalist emotion that's about as close as I'm willing to go to 'utopic' these days. This one mostly lands in the NTS Early Bird Show zone with an unnerving sniper-like accuracy, the delicately arranged strings, keys and reeds revealing the obvious shared DNA of ECM and Music From Memory, perfectly expressive of the Pyjama Ambient zeitgeist. And as if aware that such pigeon-holing might sell him short, Schray shifts it up on the two closing tracks, indulging a few Arthur Russell inspirations ala Instrumentals alongside some remarkably active jazz bass that anyone who didn't get past the album's first half would never have seen coming. Yacht (post-) rock I've called this music before, and i'll do it again now. But no shade - it's a yacht I'd love to be aboard any time anyone wants to invite me.