Description
As If To Nothing follows Armstrong's soundtrack work for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet and the recent musical extravaganza Moulin Rouge which explains why the second "artist" album from the multi-award winning Scottish composer is perhaps predictably heavy on evocative cinematic atmospherics. Steering closer to his debut Space Between Us<
As If To Nothing follows Armstrong's soundtrack work for Baz Luhrmann's Romeo & Juliet and the recent musical extravaganza Moulin Rouge which explains why the second "artist" album from the multi-award winning Scottish composer is perhaps predictably heavy on evocative cinematic atmospherics. Steering closer to his debut Space Between Us than his melodic pop songwriting tendencies (which have in the past resulted in tracks such as Texas' "I Don't Want A Lover"), Armstrong creates a sensuous aural massage built upon the harmonic and string-based musical foundations laid by the arrangement of the dramatic opening track "Ruthless Gravity". Despite the unifying musical thread giving the album a somewhat symphonic feel, the continual shift in mood keeps it intriguing throughout. The epic orchestral compositions also benefit from a diverse selection of vocal contributors. Former Lemonhead, Evan Dando is first up, lending a melancholy voice to the acoustic desolation of "Wake Up In New York" while Mogwai's charmingly evocative Indian-influenced tones immediately transcend the gloom. U2 frontman turned political crusader, Bono, pipes up on the mediocre "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" while it's left to David McAlmont to provide the album's most pompous theatrical moment "Snow". But, despite the odd sniff of pretension, As If To Nothing remains a comfortable if somewhat safe blanket of orchestral ambience. --Christopher Barrett
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Track listing1. Ruthless Gravity
2. Wake Up In New York
3. Miracle
4. Amber
5. Finding Beauty
6. Waltz
7. Inhaler
8. Hymn 2
9. Snow
10. Starless II
11. Stay (Faraway, So Close!)
12. Niente
13. Sea Song
14. Let It Be Love
15. Choral Ending
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