Dustin O'Halloran - Piano Solos, Vol. 2

Seldom is a record’s name so literal in reference to its contents. In the case of Dustin O’Halloran’s Piano Solos, Vol. 2, however, the unimaginative title tells us everything about its style but nothing about its artistry. Recorded in Italy on a 1930s Swiss Sabel piano, O’Halloran (one half of Devics) has taken the influences of Chopin, Debussy and Beethoven and created an enigmatic jewel for any music follower. The tracks are bare, cozy and cinematic, and the imagery evoked evolves with each listen. Without properly named tracks, it should be digested in whole, as each piece beautifully complements the next with intimate, slow movement. Rarely does a musician have the ability to make such meaningful use out of the space he’s given. [www.dustonohalloran.com]