Hammock - Raising Your Voice... Trying to Stop an Echo

Aaahhhh, relief. That's what this album does to the listener. It's the soundtrack to a breezy summer day with puffy yet translucent clouds in the sky, or slowly fading into sleep on an extremely comfortable night near a calm ocean; all things airy and ethereal. Instruments blend together rather than stick out individually and the band creates movements that blur the line between ambient and instrumental music. Blurriness is the overreaching vibe here, but that's good. It creates an atmosphere of tranquility and is quite lifelike in its play with memory and emotion. For the most part, it is instrumental; but even that definition is blurred with a few vocals thrown into the mix, both male and female. Guitars and keyboards cascade gently against one another but are ultimately absorbed into the background of delicate sounds. Other instruments are present and there is rhythm to be had, but that's not the focus. Actually, there's not really a focus at all. This is relaxing music of the highest level. [www.hammockmusic.com]