To mark the release of Quiet Light’s new limited edition CD, Atwood Magazine looks back on a year of their critically acclaimed Blue Angel Sparkling Silver.
“Blue Angel Sparkling Silver” – Calm light
A Patchwork mix of sound moments, Quiet Light’s extended confession Blue Angel Sparkling Silver has not lost its shine for a moment since its release in 2023.
A year later, the ambient folk artist celebrates with the release of a limited edition CD of the LP via Orange Label RecordS.
Quiet Light, the solo artist project of Riya Mahesh, has simultaneously announced their opening slot for Nilüfer Yanya at the Levitation Festival in Austin this November.
Blue Angel Sparkling Silver is at once sentimental and abstract; with sparkling synths dominating gentle guitar progressions and muted percussion, while Mahesh’s vocals sit no louder than a whisper above. A true glimpse into their minds, the album is interspersed with murmurs and conversations, creating hypnotic blends of genre, sonic universality and moments in time.
The LP is open and vulnerable, looking at everyday moments that only seem to gain luster in hindsight. “Normal” is indeed an identity that Mahesh confidently flaunts. The artist grew up in Austin’s band scene and moved to Boston to study medicine, where she is currently pursuing a medical degree at UMass. Mahesh says of her art: “(Quiet Light) makes you feel like you’re floating, music that feels like soft light.”
Blue Angel Sparkling Silver begins with “You know I stayeda layering of vocals and voices that envelops you in a deep, hypnotic hum. As Mahesh seamlessly transitions into “I Went To The Community Pool,” which begins with upbeat synths and ethereal vocals, it quickly moves into “Whiplash 2“, which introduces slowly plucked indie rock guitars. “Hey Char Baby“ creates a live effect reminiscent of the rock music of the early 2000s, where “Dreamland of the fairy princesses” is the ultimate escape into her world of sound – her Dreamlandas she calls it. The LP is a mix of these sound morsels that serve as interludes between the full-length compositions, breaking up the tracklist and bridging between each of Mahesh’s dreamlands. Her outstanding musical style almost carries over into the listening experience outside of streaming.
The understated quality of “View of the city“ stands in contrast to other titles such as “Nightmare/Party” And “And there he goes”, which burst forth with an affective synergy. The experimental strides of this LP are in and of themselves a truly authentic creative achievement and a rare gem in the current currents of the music industry. Indeed, Mahesh’s indie rock sensibilities are enveloped by ambient constructions like an atmospheric, soft light peeking through the clouds. Playful voice note conversations merge with Mahesh’s ethereal vocals, capturing a fleeting moment in the present.
Quiet Light shines in authentic reckonings and fearless experiments with form. It celebrates everyday moments and turns them into something truly impressive in Blue Angel, sparkling silver.
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:: stream/buy Blue Angel Sparkling Silver Here ::
:: connect with Calm light Here ::
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© Leah Blom
