Seer

Golden Retriever is the uncommon duo of modular synthesizer player and keyboardist Matt Carlson and bass clarinet player Jonathan Sielaff. With third album Seer, the duo stretched out in both recording and composition, putting the album together over the course of two years in their home studio in Portland, Oregon. Over the album's five tracks the two expand their range greatly over previous releases, delving into microtonal electronics and fuzzy, chunky horn riffs on opening track "Petrichor," with plinky acoustic piano and choppily edited electronics as well as drawn-out playing in a spiritual, exploratory mode from Sielaff. The album reaches its apex on the soaringly beautiful "Flight Song," evoking at once the best elements and most reflective shades of Eno, Aphex Twin, and free jazz saxophonist Marion Brown. ~ Fred Thomas