Captured Howls presents a journal of observations, a linguistic art piece… a blog on arts, music, and cinema

Listen Here To The Dreamy Sonic Suspension Of Living Phantoms’ ‘Half Connected’

Living Phantoms offer a spin through a familiar yet strange science fiction-feeling wonderland on their new track “Half Connected,” available to listen to below. The track features on the project’s new album The Fall Redux, which consists of the comprehensive reimagining of the tracks off mastermind Will Benoit’s band’s SOM’s debut full length The Fall. (He’s also played in bands including Junius and Constants.) These new versions of those tracks reach a rare level in 2.0s, completely restructuring the listener’s experience instead of simply adding or subtracting some garnishes or changing the flavor of one or more ingredients. Benoit will even be making the stems for his songs publicly available along with the album, offering curious and dedicated listeners the chance to dive deeper into the nuances of the sounds he’s crafted along with The Fall Redux upon its drop April 5.

In the meantime, “Half Connected feels like the soundtrack to a bizarre but engaging and even strangely inviting dream. In this piece, Benoit expertly interweaves suspenseful sound into his gently but substantively repetitive melody, offering an imaginative structure that feels open-ended and ultimately ready for the listener to experience and see what real-life situations it can match up to. Throughout the work, there’s a sense of pushing towards the sky and light, as repeatedly, Benoit offers dramatic melodic thrusts that feel like they’re progressing the track and the listener down a sprawling path. The song ends up charting the walkway through an otherworldly garden — the metaphorical (?) place might be out of the ordinary, and you might even be all alone, but there’s enough going “right” for you to be able to claim the experience as your own.

The track has been described as reminiscent of the horror movie sound architect John Carpenter, and the comparison honestly fits very well. There’s a special place for this music in the modern pantheon because of its overwhelmingly experiential aspect. If you like exploring new places, sights, sounds, and feelings — you’re in luck, and you should stay tuned for the full album from Living Phantoms.

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