Things Are Not The Way They Ought To Be (The Lament)
[Ambient, Post-Rock] A song by Dear Gravity.
Hi Pal,
Two years into writing this newsletter and four years of my deep-dive into the Christian alternative music scene, the ambient and post-rock corners have some of my most treasured artists and projects. Unfortunately, since it is a genre whose primary quality is immersion, I’ve found that I’m too busy soaking it up to take time for writing.
Of all the artists I’ve discovered, Mike Graff — the brains behind Dear Gravity — has made an impression on me. When you first get into ambient/post-rock music and you listen to a number of projects, there’s a tendency to think they all sound the same; at least that was my experience. After nearly a decade of consuming music in these genres, I’ve come to realize that every project or artist is unique with distinct textures and feels that filter their artistry and songs.
These elements are not arbitrary but are a result of deliberate and intricate song-crafting on the artists’ part. Every aspect of the production is designed to achieve specific results and as a lover of sounds, I can’t help but have a deep respect for them. Mike Graff has been crafting music for a long time and he is no stranger to the ambient scene, having been involved in a wide range of instrumental projects over the past decade. With worldwide features in a variety of films and projects, each Dear Gravity release has been met with critical acclaim.
My introduction to his music came in the form of his two full-length releases of 2019, I Hope This Letter Finds You Well and Sleep Scenes. While the former had some of what I would come to know as his signature ambient/cinematic post-rock elements, the latter is more minimalistic in its approach. I have since listened to most of his discography and he has only gotten better over the years.
Notwithstanding, I have to admit that his 2021 album, Godspeed, is where he really came into his own. Possessing most of the foundational elements of his past works, the album seems to canonize the haunting qualities of his sound with more emphasis on the droning guitars and moody keyboards. It’s also the most sonically diverse I’ve heard of him and the expanded version of this album which released in 2022, elevates this quality with reworked versions of songs that feature fellow artists on the scene.
Things Are Not The Way They Ought To Be (The Lament)
continues the trajectory of his sonic palette’s expansion as a tune that sounds both familiar and different. It’s progressive in nature with various repetitive sections, and for a song that is less than four minutes long, Mike Graff adds something new to each section as it builds to a satisfying climax.
This song is a testament to an artist who, despite his longevity, is determined to keep improving and finding new ways to communicate diverse emotions, irrespective of how deep or complex they are.
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