A notable departure from the folktronica neo-soul of 2019's
Gold in a Brass Age,
Skellig,
David Gray's meditative 12th long-player, evokes a water strider navigating the morning mist on a serene lake. Both bucolic and melancholic, the 13-song set certainly bears the hallmarks of a
Gray production -- lyrical, raspy folk-rock seasoned with tasteful electronic flourishes -- but the layers of crisp, adult contemporary pop that have defined his past works have largely been peeled away. Recorded at
Edwyn Collins' studio in Scotland with the assistance of cellist
Caroline Dale, vocalist
Niamh Farrell, and
Mossy Nolan,
Skellig is undeniably minimalist, but the contributions from the Irish musicians, who include lush multi-part harmonies, provide plenty of emotional punctuation. Commencing with the placid title cut,
Skellig unfolds in soft waves of quietude with nary a percussion instrument in sight. Split proportionally between acoustic guitar and piano, songs like "Heart and Soul" and "The White Owl" hint at grand crescendos, but ultimately choose elegance over opulence. Patient and occasionally pained, much of the material wrestles with the notion of isolation, both physical and mental, with both realms being put under the magnifying glass on the pensive closing cuts "Can't Hurt More Than This" and "All That We Asked For."
Gray has always been reflective, but in removing some of his sonic crutches, he's unearthed a bit of
Van Morrison's mystic soul-food shine and brought his acumen as a songwriter front and center. ~ James Christopher Monger
