Malady of Elegance

Though he more regularly records as Helios, Keith Kenniff's work under the Goldmund moniker has contributed to the quieter side of the Type label over recent years, and his second album under the name continues this streak in winning, quietly beautiful fashion. Relying on piano that places itself between Harold Budd's ambient experiments and a harsher, post-glitch inventiveness that keeps it from being too smooth in the end, The Malady of Elegance ultimately ends up being good late-night listening, but not for sweet dreams. Opening song "Image-Autumn-Womb," with its sudden high notes and a feeling of shuddering strangeness in the arrangement, sets and strikes this balance, and if much of the album tends towards the contemplative, it's not in a simply pretty fashion. Other strong songs include "John Harrington," with its gentle melodic flourishes, and the dramatic conclusion to "Evelyn," which also wraps up the album on a strong, powerful note. ~ Ned Raggett