From the forests of Canadensis, PA and the bustling city
streets of Brooklyn comes the duo, Dragon Turtle. Reinventing folk with
elegance and risk in their latest album, Almanac,
Brian Lightbody and Tom Asselin take the listener on an ambient journey.
The album opens with “Casualty”, a quietly beautiful
entrance into atmospheric guitar and blended vocals that draw to mind the
relaxation of Grizzly Bear before powerful organ notes and feedback take hold.
“Moon Fallout” plows through the distortion with a confident beat as the album
finally reaches a sense of clarity. Undulating through a cloud of synths, the
subdued vocals gain presence before changing course with a confident piano and a
speedier beat.
“Island of Broken Glass” arrives as a surprise, with congas
and electric guitar overshadowing the heavily reverberated vocals. Stripped
down to an understated guitar and delicate banjo, “Hometime” purveys urgency
through its nakedness in arguably the most poignant track on the album.
In short, Dragon Turtle concocts an emotional ride.
Experimenting with monotony one moment and pounding out melodies the next, Almanac is a winding road of layered
complexities and atrophied strings.
