Blue Lake - Sun Arcs

Beyond a select few, i'd imagine that Blue Lake's Stikling album from last year was for most listeners the first introduction to Jason Dungan's skillfully poised and emotionally redolent music. The audience has certainly expanded since then, including a surprise nomination for album of the year at the Danish Music Awards. On Sun Arcs, album number four for Dungan under the Blue Lake moniker, his ambition has notably increased too. The homemade 48 string zither prevalent on Stikling is present here also, but it's by no means the centrepoint, intersecting now with more ornate arrangements which make greater use of guitars, clarinets and drum machines. Comparisons to Michael O'Shea do still feel relevant in parts, though the tone is notably more idyllic and blissful, as if directly influenced by the good vibrations sent his way by the reception to Stikling. Like with the last LP, Sun Arcs was recorded in the rural Swedish town of Andersabo, which if this music is anything to judge by, must be bordering on utopic. Did Dungan find The Garden!? It's impossible to ignore the good natured quality of this music - like with, say, Steve Gunn - the inherent graciousness uninhibited and radiant. Dungan is enjoying himself and the opportunity to do so, and it's hard to read Sun Arcs as anything else other than an invitation for you to do so, too. Finally, some good news.