Elskavon: Release

Anthem Falls Music is home to a plethora of projects from Minnesota native Chris Bartels, ranging from indie-pop to soundtracks. As Elskavon, Bartels gets to indulge his ambient and modern classical tastes. Release, a follow-up to last year's fine Movements in Season, is full of evocative, shimmering soundscapes that neither peak nor dip but are soothingly swaddled with melodic warmth – a neat antithesis to the sparse instrumentation at play. No piece overstays its welcome, making the slow-motion layers of We Can All Be New and piano-led Healing all the more appealing. However, in a creative space so densely inhabited (Robin Guthrie, Olafur Arnalds, Keith Kenniff and Hammock are among the many who plough a similar furrow) Elskavon lacks a truly distinctive edge to stand out from the crowd. anthemfallsmusic.com
Download: We Can All Be New, Healing