Isthmus by Seamus O'Muineachain
Isthmus is the sixth album by Irish composer and producer Seamus O’Muineachain, released on October 1st 2022 by Ghost Home Recordings. The piano based album is a sonic exploration of his hometown, Belmullet, on the remote isthmus of the mullet peninsula. The album marries piano, cello from collaborator Akito Goto, explorative synths, minimal percussion, treated guitars, and smartphone field recordings.
The tracks were heavily influenced by the topography of the peninsula where O’Muineachain grew up, “I’m a stone's throw from the shore here, and when I go for my daily walk I’m constantly mapping the peaks and dips of Achill, Croagh Patrick, and Nephin on the horizon.” Indeed the rugged nature of Belmullet is present here, and not just in the literal representation of field recordings, but in the landscape of the pieces, which stretch from airy piano miniatures to muted post-rock to sepulchral ambient soundscapes.
Colin McAndrew
Tracklist
| 1. | Two Bays | 2:16 |
| 2. | Lost Fishermen | 3:05 |
| 3. | Mouth of the Isthmus | 2:37 |
| 4. | Conches | 2:06 |
| 5. | Sound | 3:19 |
| 6. | Fields of Fog | 2:13 |
| 7. | We Went Beachcombing | 1:29 |
| 8. | Almost an Island | 3:47 |
| 9. | Meet Me at the Pier | 2:05 |
| 10. | Haar | 3:32 |
Credits
Seamus O’Muineachain - Piano, Keyboard, Synth, Percussion, Dulcimer, Field Recordings, Production
Akito Goto - Cello (1, 2, 6, 8, 10) (www.akitogoto.com)
Mona Power - Cover Photography (www.monapower.art)
