Album Review

Paul Terry, Aptøsrs & Cellarscape unite on bold new album “Alternative Piano Club”

Combining his three artistic alter egos, Paul Terry presents an awe-inspiring new 12-track album, “Alternative Piano Club,” written in collaboration with Aptøsrs and Cellarscape. This is an album-length voyage of music that blends acoustic, rock, and piano-driven cinematic sounds.

Torn between this complex emotional spectrum, all the while the piano remains at its core throughout. Paul Terry opens his “Memento Mori (Chromogenic Phase)” contemplatively, creating a solemn, reflective mood. Cellarscape’s “Three Years Of Roses“ is warmer, whereas Aptøsrs’ “Questionnaires“ is much more textured as a large, sculptural post-rock.

“Dave’s Theme,” written by Paul Terry, musically expands the narrative with a touch of cinematic elevation that aligns well. “We Shape The Clouds” by Cellarscape is fluffy and heart-warming, “Writers Behind The Curtain” is somber, more narrative. We are all together in “A Place We Made,” an honest, intimate, emotionally grounded space.

The project contains vocal warmth and cultural depth in the song “This Is My Home“ by Silas Miami & Lana Crowster. Proceeding in a totally different direction is the stronger emotional clarity of Paul Terry’s acoustic storytelling on “Any Time You Want To Fly” and “No Sleep Has Come.” Cellarscape presents a wide, spacious atmospheric moment in “Cygnus,” while Aptøsrs ends with “Rust Mountain (Monochrome Piano Version),” a simple gem that brings the project full circle.

The mixing of Sam Okell and Adam Noble, the mastering of Alex Wharton and Robin Schmidt have, in many ways, brought their polish to it while still making it feel human. “Alternative Piano Club” is a work entity, where three musical personalities met and talk mind in the same emotional language.

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A seasoned music writer at Honk Magazine, covering new releases and artist spotlights with a focus on blending insight with captivating storytelling, helping readers connect deeply with the music and the artists behind it.

Album Review

Mt. Kili Mt. Kili delivers quiet power and honest reflection on “The Noticer” (album)

Mt. Kili’s latest album, “The Noticer,” is a warm, contemplative acoustic folk album that finds beauty in the minutiae of life itself, as calm and bare as anyone would call it. Songwriter Rick Sichta of Asheville leads the project with delicate instrumentation and outspoken lyrics, bringing forth an experience that can be both personal and universal.

Recorded at Echo Mountain Studio in Asheville, the music is refined and mastered by Grammy Award-winning Julian Dreyer and David Glasser. The current lineup still embodies this vision, with Matt Shepard holding down a heavy rhythmic backbone and Laney Barnett’s violin and vocals rounding out the sound, creating emotion.

There is a story and emotion hidden within each track. The EP opens with “Don’t Start a War,” which opens contemplatively, begging for peace rather than war. The title track, “The Noticer,” exudes a sense of awareness and the beauty of watching life unfold. “The Rain Song” features a soothing, near-meditative vibe.

With a hopeful reflection, “The Road Isn’t as Long as It Seems” is about perspective and perseverance. “Her Song” is pretty much a musical love letter, and “Kyle” is defined by its character-driven narrative. With “The Weather Report,” the change of feeling is reflected, while “Scars “ and “Strawberry Fields” hint at memories and softening imagery. “All in Good Time” concludes the record patiently, a soothing sigh of comfort. “The Noticer” is a reflective album with a soft reminder that sometimes the smallest moments mean the most.

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Album Review

Tita Nzebi bridges heritage and humanity with new album, “Réminiscence”

Tita Nzebi is back with “Réminiscence,” her latest album, consisting of 10 tracks recorded in renowned studios across Paris and mixed with great care at Real World Studios. The Gabonese album has been part of a diverse international catalog and is rather well-produced. With arrangements and production by multi-instrumentalist Leny Bidens, the album reflects a long-term collaboration.

“Réminiscence” is about the beautiful messiness of being human, blending spirituality and social consciousness. The album opener, “REMINISCENCE,” is a contemplative meditation on memory and transmission that establishes the album’s emotional arc. “KEK’DA,” adorned with textured rocks, embodies concepts of spiritual growth in an earthy yet airy way. With “MBAMA Scène,” connection and cultural continuity are rendered in a magnificent current, wrapping that listening journey up with a powerful assertion.

“A’TA” offers a more complex perspective on wisdom, and “31 AOÛT” explores the concepts of time and memory with greater depth. “ARROGANCE” is an inward gaze at ego, and it pulls elements of bold music together to stoke social tension. Every song here has its own tale to tell, but they all effectively tie back together under the broad-stroke identity themes of freedom, memory, and dignity.

“Réminiscence” is an artistic manifesto, and much of what Tita Nzebi does honors its past while still feeling very much rooted in global sounds. The record serves as a reminder to listeners of the connections that gave rise to identity and collective memory.

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