Flakebelly, the enigmatic musician from the Outer Hebrides, blends psychedelic indie rock with acoustic folk-jazz, crafting immersive soundscapes that have gained traction on BBC 6 Music with tracks like "In Parks Of Tall Trees" — and on his latest album, “Apprentice Green”, he brings a soulful, soothing listen — keep reading for my thoughts!
The 10-track opus is filled with surprises and delights at every turn — and right from the opener, “TimeBomb”, he presents his signature blend of smooth jazz, rock influences and vast atmospheric influences. The gentle, whispered singing is accompanied by the guitars rather beautifully, setting the tone for the rest of “Apprentice Green” quite handsomely. Segueing into the second track, “What The Thunder Said” is an artsy experiment with synths and time-bending swing influences, all while retaining the flair and fervor of the original. The effortless delivery and execution continue to be highlights of the album, and the experimentation is very there, from beginning to end.
“Caution” brings a bit of a warmer sound that has sampling work going on, be it the wide, beautiful mix, or the precise, complex drumming that flits from meter to meter, while we’re left playing catch-up; but once this track has us locked in, it’s a surreal experience; with the dreamy, ethereal vocals and lyrics elevating this track even further.
Some other tracks on “Apprentice Green” that take the cake include the beautifully crafted “Plackwitch On The The Bettigown”, which has elements of radio sampling, and a beautiful narrated style to the vocals, almost as if to tell a story; while the pizzicato strings in the background accent the storytelling and the imagery even more vividly. As we bring the album to a close with tracks like “Raggy Doll”, we take a bit of a dip into country tinged music, with the picked basses and the emotive singing strung delicately together by the pianos, projecting the ragtime sound quite amazingly. “Butterfly Brain”, the swan song to “Apprentice Green”, brings the sound of the album full circle with a little bit of everything, while injecting flair and charm of its own.
The production on “Apprentice Green” does not shy away, for a single second, from experimentation; it constantly blurs the lines between genres, stepping into many influences to get the picture-perfect sound that it achieves. The mixes are clinical, precise, yet warm, with all the hallmarks of a great production overall. Check out the album here!