Ellis Island Sound - The Good Seed

A lovely sound grown deep underground

A familiar set of names in more left-of-centre circles, it’s surprising to discover that, following 10 years of EPs as Ellis Island Sound, this is Pete Astor and David Sheppard’s first full-length release with this alias. After various collaborations under assorted guises, including Wisdom Of Harry and State River Widening, plus remixes for the likes of the Manics and Beth Orton, the two escaped the capital�to record these 20 songs over seven days, in one unedited take, in a converted chapel on the border of Norfolk and Suffolk.

That enforced isolation can be heard in all these mellow, melancholic and melodic instrumentals, and is best encapsulated on Angel’s Way. With instrumentation ranging from guitar and ukulele, to harmonium and violin (but with no vocals of any kind) there are several telling traces of Penguin Caf� Orchestra, Mice Parade and Brian Eno in these wistful grooves. What’s most startling, however, is just how much EIS say, despite removing that most obvious form of human communication. Nicely familiar then, in all the right ways.

Peacefrog | PFG 086 CD

Reviewed by Ian Fletcher
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