Stephen Shannon – Fathoms – Album Review
by Killian Laher

There is some really gorgeous music on this solo album from Irish composer Stephen Shannon.  Shannon has released music in a variety of different guises, as a member of post-rock group Halfset, as part of Mount Alaska and also under the name Strands.  This collection of instrumental music is under his own name.

Past Tense opens on a bed of strings, before a change of gear with Le Diagonale which channels an 80s electropop sensibility.  There are very nice wintry keyboards on Evergreen, while Eyot combines an electro atmosphere with strings.

There are high points throughout this album, the stately, cinematic The Manes and the percussive, propulsive title track to name just two.  Towards the end, there is the soaring, vaguely electronic-sounding The Last Bend and the epic Aqueous.

This is an impressive album, one to luxuriate in.  I suspect it may be picked up by film-makers looking for accompanying music.

Eyot