“Close,” by Mark Wardale (aka Rowboat) carries us on a dramatic journey overseeing a frozen paradise.
With the first track, “Byrja,” we begin by taking our first careful steps upon stairs of piano keys, then climb violin strings to board our horned ship of brass.
While riding the skies upon, “Veðráttufarsríma,” we hear our guide sing the lost story of our vessel in a voice both clear and waning.
We descend to the shores where the stoic tides are interrupted by, “Pebbles,” and surrender to the entropy of, “Óreiða.”
Our voyage ends with us wrapped in the gentle, “Sails,” that just moments before harnessed the full force of the arctic wind.
The musical craft that is the album, “Close,” gives us the perfect vantage point from which to view this world of clashing extremes and hushed tranquility. We experience swimming up waterfalls and climb mountains made of water. We build sandcastles of ash and study the light of prisms through the dark.
Wardale has crafted a narrative score that, like the voices of the unseen elves, charms and bewitches the listener and leads her to a magical world of chill beauty.
This album was written & recorded in Yorkshire, UK at Four Pillar Music©
Recorded Between March 2017 and July 2017.
Bottle Imp Productions 2018.
All Rights Reserved.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family for all of your support, tolerance and patience. You are my world.
Additional credits:
Art by Joshua McAllister
Vocals on ‘Veðráttufarsríma’ performed by Parmes Sigurjónsson.
Additional Thanks to Rósa Þorsteinsdóttir, Ísmús, Dan and Will.