It’s been three years since his last album, but those who enjoy his music know that Emancipator’s sound is anything but ephemeral- three years is plenty of time to let what’s been out there sink in, marinate. In the past three years, Portland, Oregon native Douglas Appling hasn’t been watching the world pass him by; if you’ve been to any major festival in the past two years, you’ve seen Appling doing his thing, crushing trip hop DJ sets across the country- often with live instrumental accompaniment by Ilya Goldberg (and others).
Well, Emancipators new release, Dusk to Dawn isn’t much of a change of pace from what Emancipator has been putting out up until this point, however, I’ve never seen this as a bad thing so long as the music is dynamic and progressive. In fact, when it comes to trip hop, its just that ambiance, that consistent, driving instrumental euphony, that really clinch me and hook me onto an artist. If I had to compare the sound characterized by Emancipator’s Dusk to Dawn to any other artist, I’d have to cite Trip-Hop extraordinaire, Bonobo. Check out the video for Minor Cause.
While the album isn’t one that you’ll likely be listening to for decades to come, its a fine addition to any Trip-hop enthusiast’s library. The breadth of sound is wide and varied, and what Emancipator really creates in the end is a transformative and meditative experience brought to you through good music. Who can argue with that? Well I certainly can’t, so I’ve given the whole album a listen, and have selected a few of my favorite tracks for your listening pleasure:
Emancipator – Afterglow
Emancipator – The Way
Emancipator – Valhalla
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