The structure of Half Shadow’s “Gravity” is a fascinating thing to chart as the song seems to be made up of intersecting structures of rhythm following an intuitive path. Like with each iteration of lyrics is an iteration of thought, sketches really, with a new permutation of what has come before as Jesse Carsten ponders one of the central mysteries of our universe and how it might impact our everyday lives. He starts on the cosmic scale with “What if gravity turns out to be everything / They say the moon holds us where we are.” Then on to considering how the waves of gravity are “shaping us mysteriously” and how it has shaped the entire universe as well. It is one of the aspects of the universe that Stephen Hawking tangled with throughout his studies of cosmology and one whose nature is still not fully understood by science beyond its observable effects. The gentle, hypnotic acoustic guitar riffs of the song loop and reverberate as if serving as an analog to the often subtle effects of gravity. Fans of Karl Blau will appreciate how the song uses natural reverb and creative composition to create an analog mirror of a more electronic music aesthetic. Others may hear echoes of Sam Mickens’ adventurous rhythms and tones with The Dead Science. In the context of the rest of Half Shadow’s great 2019 album Dream Weather Its Electric Song “Gravity” is a step in a journey to understand the mysterious corners of the world that affect us and influence our lives and who we are from our physical form, the environment in which we navigate life and how it all influences our cognition. Carsten strives to find meaning in these mysteries of the natural world and the subconscious mind across the eleven songs of the record through deconstructing familiar songwriting styles and bring the logical mind into alternate pathways of operating. Listen to “Gravity” on Bandcamp (where you can also hear and download the whole album) and follow Half Shadow at the links below.
hlfshdw.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/halfshadowband
instagram.com/half___shadow
Queen City Sounds and Art 
You must be logged in to post a comment.