Instrumentalist and Ark of Music alumnus Toby Tune continues to create new instrumental soundscapes from his enviable home nestled amongst the temperate rainforests of Costa Rica. Or, he continues to release albums filled with his blend of environment-shaping tunes that were recorded over many years and never given a proper release; Toby’s latest, Morning Rainbow, is a product of the latter. Considered by Toby “a batch of lazy music” – the good kind of “lazy,” mind you – Morning Rainbow is another mostly electronic excursion with the occasional, tasteful use of real voices and instruments to sculpt the musical shapes of places meandering in your dreams. Ready for the latest musically guided Toby Tune trip? Let’s listen, and talk about it.
Wait. What’s Morning Rainbow all about?
Per Toby, “Although I try to write some current styles, this album is a batch of lazy music I have written over many, many years. Yes, it can be schmaltzy and meandering, but it is kinda relaxing and good for background music.”
Ready to listen, chill, and take a much needed vacation upon the floating islands of your mind??
Let’s hit the highlights.
Listening, and talking about it (i.e., hitting the highlights).
Opener “Day of Love” begins with Toby’s signature electronic harp, followed by a reverb-soaked female vocalist floating among Toby’s weightless musical terrain. And without breaking the two-minute mark, it quickly fades away.
“Faded Flowers” features crystalline, flute-ish synths, and then piano over heavenly electronic voices. It’s the music for water cleaved by rocks but still rolling onward. Or, for driving towards a dark street until hovering lights activate in synchronous response to your passing.
“Garden Time” immerses you in warm daylight with chirping birds and presumed soft grass underfoot. With delayed chimes, perhaps representing the breeze or other natural skittering about, “Garden Time” is the perfect musical expression of digging blissfully in the dirt.
“Light Flight” features a warm, slightly shimmering synth pad joined by bamboo-carved flute. Is this the soundtrack for following a solid sunbeam all the way to its outer space source? Possibly, as the plucked strings perhaps imply tenacious movement upwards.
“Quiet Life” begins as dramatic, lower-note piano transitioning to higher, chiming responses. It starts ominously, and the regretful tone remains, but the instruments trend lighter as a sun still shining regardless of coalescing dark clouds.
“Requiem” is another ominous one with a synth pad performing a sustained, muted growl. Electronic guitar plucks accompany flute-ish synth beams that enter the room, light their targeted shapes, and slowly diminish. This might be my personal favorite.
“Sunrise,” with its clean and welcoming synth pad, supports an electronic lead, a horn of sorts, that leads us through a healing but brief saturation of direct sunlight. Empowering in its succinctness, this one successfully inspires.
Having reached the end of Morning Rainbow, we find the formerly invisible door to “The Fabled City.” And the Fabled City initially celebrates our arrival with lone synth horn and dripping synth chimes. However, when the celebration truly begins, we’re granted plucked harps, playful pipes, and fiercely strummed guitar. Our pre-arrival adventures are expressed with dramatic playing, reaching strings, a rumbling drum, and energetic bass; it’s a testament to our travels, and a boisterous musical homecoming. This is one heck of a finale, and worthy of any returning champion holding high the violently separated Minotaur’s head.
But is it good?
Once again, Toby Tune’s music proves relaxing and transportive. It takes you to places you’ve never been, or locales you’ve always known but refuse to let in. It’s filled with cascading lights and calmly running rivers, places where you’re loved, held, and healing. Is Morning Rainbow “good?” It’s where peace awaits, and where every song lulls you blissfully to sleep. Recommended, as always.
—-
BELOW: Listen to Toby Tune and check him out on Soundcloud, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, Napster, Tidal, Pandora, Boomplay, and Facebook. Please support Toby Tune by visiting his website and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing his music. And, as always, thank you for supporting real music.
(Want to have your music reviewed on The Ark of Music? Click HERE.)
Follow, stream, download & connect with TOBY TUNE online:
