Eclipse by Crossing Bridges

Endlessly pretty to digest. Eclipse Dances the width of the threshold between ambient and a kaleidoscopic interpretation of contemporary classic, done so with an appealing flair and extremely apparent expertly applied devotion to the craft.

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INTERVIEW
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George Ernst: Eclipse is quite a fitting name for the EP. It's easy to picture huge celestial bodies crossing paths from the sounds at play here. Did the name predate the music?

Paul Marchesani: The name definitely was just part of the process. "Eclipse" is without a doubt a continuation from my previous EP "Equinox." I tried to keep the instrumentation and writing style the same and I believe it shows. I had the idea of "space ambient" in my head while writing Equinox; which has some more active moments than Eclipse and is also quite a bit 'darker' in emotion. Eclipse feels like the lighter side of the two EP's. I pictured more white and bright colors while writing Eclipse. I wanted it to be extremely positive and calming. Rather than sleepy and depressed.

GE: If this EP were an animal, what would it be, and why?

PM: Cuttlefish; The textures and bubbliness of it all just gives me a smooth flowing vibe that I can only imagine a cuttlefish whilst listening.

GE:.What's your favourite thing in space?

PM: It's endless-ness. The fact that it's pretty much infinite is a wild thought. So I guess the space in space is my favorite thing.

GE. Proton Scrub is my favourite track. I think it's one of the prettiest tunes I've heard. What though is a 'Proton Scrub'?

PM: Wow I'm so glad you dig that one! I imagined that song being like a "Brain scrub" - In the sense of I wanted the bubbly synths and plucks to sound/feel like I'm pouring McDonald's Sprite on your brain... in a good way. So I guess I was trying to sound smart by saying like the protons in your brain are now activated to clean your brain by playing this song. Or something like that haha..

GE: Which is your least favourite Pac-Man Ghost?

PM: Probably the Orange one (Clyde). First off, what a terrible name for a 8-bit ghost. Second off I hate the color orange lol.

GE: I love the bends in 'Anti-Gravity' so much. A lot of the time when I hear stuff like that attempted it can be a little jarring but you implemented them so seamlessly into the composition I was kinda floored. Was that tricky?

PM: Thank you for that! And no not really; actually it was a pretty smooth process. The hard part was deciding when to implement those bends. But I was worried it would be jarring so I'm glad to hear that it's not!

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REVIEW
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Eclipse: that near phenomenon where the Moon passes in front of the sun in such a way that all light is obscured in a weird way and if you look at it through a little shoebox thing it looks... cool. I'm not a scientist. But I am enjoying the hell out of the new Crossing Bridges EP 'Eclipse', so far my favourite utilization of the word.

It's a lively beast, and unsparingly pretty to digest. Dancing the width of the threshold between ambient and a kaleidoscopic interpretation of contemporary classic, done so with an appealing flair and extremely apparent expertise.

'Space-Time' opens with a murky rumble, soon unfolding and emerging through the fog as something massive and magnificent. A camera zooming in through some misty fields to the launching of a rocket, with an equal-parts beautifully delicate, and looming rush of heavy pads scoring the scene. You are, it seems, in for a good trip.

'Proton Scrub' seems to confirm this, beginning to introduce a little percussion into the proceedings; sparse though it may be, it's an effective anchorage to the composition achieved through a simple, yet cleverly sequenced beat. What really cements the piece as a standout on the EP however is the melody, and the instrumentation selected to bring it to life; and it does feel alive. You can almost feel it breathe at times.

Comparatively lengthy centrepiece 'Anti Gravity' appropriately enough turns the world on its head. The familiar rumble of the kaleidoscope keys here get pulled this way and that via gorgeously sunny circuit bend-key transitions, though they never feel intrusive or tastelessly extravagant. No cool sound or effect on this EP feels inserted for any other purpose than to contribute to the musical story CB wants to tell. It's diligent flavouring, in service of making something beautiful to listen to.

Similarly 'Equations of the Mind' features cavernous fluttering of the sparse percussion provided, giving off ominous and grandiose vibrations through the reverberation and echo effects; perfect integration of flair and substance. The gorgeous 'Orbit' on the other hand is a charmingly simpler affair. 'Floaty' is an obvious adjective given the name, but it really does feel like what you'd hear on a carefree bound through the cosmos. It's not uncommon for ambient artists to sometimes style their releases around the mysteries of space of course, but this Crossing Bridges project earns it with a blend of interstellar genres and pulling it off with aplomb.

Obviously the closing track on any artist's release is vital to leaving the listener in a good place emotionally and therefore keen to come back for more. 'Crater Emerald', you'll be delighted to hear does not falter. It'd honestly be more of a surprise if it came out mediocre given the high pedigree accumulated by the preceding four tracks. Here the lush pad layered void seems to explode in a mesmerising display of colour like some far-off space song-radiating nebula, and the good trip promised by the opener comes full circle.

George Ernst
Triplicate Records

Tracklist

1.	Space-Time	3:28

2.	Proton Scrub	4:03

3.	Anti Gravity	4:31

4.	Equations of the Mind	3:27

5.	Orbit	3:34

6.	Crater Emerald	4:14

Credits

released October 5, 2022

Written and produced by Paul G. Marchesani / Forest Kids Collective
www.forestkidscollective.com
Mastered by Michael Southard
Artwork by Bryan Kraft

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