Saapato - Somewhere Else

 

Released: November 3

It would be unfair to simply call Saapato's latest album an ambient work. Of course, it does fall in the bounds of ths nebulous category. But there seems to just be so much more going on under this surface level label. Gentle pads, terrestrial field recordings, and subtle melodies are interwoven into a warm blanket of heartfelt soundscapes that bring about introspection into the concept of Somewhere Else. Is he attempting to transport us to another place or is he trying to point out the absurdity of trying to be anywhere else than where you are? I can't be quite sure, but each track on its own is a small moment to get lost in without a worry of what you may miss. 

As previously stated, field recordings make up a bulk of Saapato's process. However, there are some moments in which gentle melodies take over and leave these indelibly recorded slices of the real world in the background. "Gone Away Again" does just this with a soft yet slowly rising piano piece that dictates the direction of the track in large part. What's even sweeter is the way in which it seamlessly moves into the next track, "Drawing Lines Across the Water," with the sound of a mild storm moving in. It complements the track so well too as it moves us into a murkier phase with the keys still somehow present through buried under a thick aural fog that encompasses the scene. The album nears its end on a bit of a playful note as well with the surprisingly bouncy "This Place Ever Changing." Not so bouncy that it breaks the mood or anything, but just eclectic enough that it leaves the listener on a thoughtful and positive note until the somewhat moodier and inward-leaning titular song comes to reclaim the mood the album began with.