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Reviews

Serena Gabriel — Izar
(Bandcamp Soundquest no #, 2025, DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2025-12-21

Izar Cover art

While Serena Gabriel’s newest release is digital only (download or streaming), it is effectively the length of a triple LP set, or a little over two hours. It is an explorative and dreamy sequence of long pieces that represent a journey through her electro-acoustic soundworlds, co-produced with Steve Roach and released on his Soundquest label. The instrumental palette includes traditional instrumentation like flute, hand drums, and bass, ancient instruments like harmonium and lyre, and electronics in the form of analog modular, Hydrasynth, samplers, loopers, and short wave radio, the latter being used prominently on the second sidelong track “A Caravan of Stars.” While there is no formula regarding regarding how each piece might proceed, the trajectory and process is always surprising and unpredictable, rarely repetitive, and never jagged or abrasive. A processed bass, flute, and synths, along with barely audible field recordings compete for space on the beautiful “Feeling the Expanse,” stretching out into the far unknown. The set opener “Veil” moves in slowly, introducing a variety of sounds, some readily identifiable like the harmonium, others more mystifying like the lyre, and other sounds relegated to the realms of unknown, but nonetheless beautiful; the melodies are subtle, interwoven in the sonic fabric as each piece progresses, not unlike Alio Die’s blend of electronics and acoustics. One needs to be patient and give the ideas time to blossom and fade; float with the flow and the listener will be rewarded. One might be wondering, what is Izar anyway? Look no further than the brilliant double star in the Boötes constellation, though as the title track of this set, “Izar” covers 33 minutes and is the longest epic in this collection, an expansive and appropriately titled epic, full of imagination and mystery, again where sounds of zither and droning synths introduce a subtle melody that takes the listener by the hand out to the farthest reaches of space, introducing more exotic and mysterious sounds along the way, including one of only a few percussive cadences to be found in the set. “The Infinite View” is the final lengthy epic, a shimmering force of colorful waves and understated melodies, a piece that gently morphs as it goes, followed by gentle album closer “Celestial Diadem,” the only piece here that doesn’t cross the ten minute mark. Izar is a long journey, a lot for a listener to take in, so give it whatever time it requires.

Filed under: New releases, 2025 releases

Related artist(s): Serena Gabriel

More info
http://steveroach.bandcamp.com/album/izar

 

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