Icon by George Cory Todd

George Cory Todd's new Atlantic Rhythms full length, Icon, has the freshness and exuberance of discovery. Throughout the album's six tracks, Todd's use of space and texture shows a composer in full bloom. “I Will (Not!)” begins with soft, rhythmic repetition, like something turning in the light. A higher tone, glitching, breaches through momentarily. Everything dies down in an instant to bowed strings before synthesizers, clips and textures take over again, undulating, sounding like a collaboration between John Luther Adams and Tim Hecker. On the final, titular track “Icon,” sounds vie for the listener’s attention from deep in the background, almost making it to the fore: a frantic drum beat, someone talking. Everything glitches, then stops.

Todd completed Icon in various locations while leaving New York for Berkeley, California, where he is now studying composition.

Atlantic Rhythms releases deep, contemporary music on limited-run cassettes, hand-screened posters, and digital formats.

atlanticrhythms.com