Lewis Bigham, aka Glassmasterer, has been producing music since 2016, dabbling in jazz, hip hop, folk and funk. He’s most at home, though, in his studio with his smorgasbord of electronic equipment, creating ambient electronic works. ‘Essaitchohnine II’ and ‘Remember Why You Started This, And Hold On To That Thought’ are particular favourites.
Glasmasterer has the happy ability to create space with sound. His latest release ‘Trouvaille’ – which is French for ‘Lucky Find’ and hints at his inspiration – is a transportive piece of music that will ease you to a place of calm.
‘Trouvaille’ welcomes you with the warmth of a fuzzy Rhodes keyboard from the 70s. Add to that some smooth and spaced-out pads and a stripped-back breakbeat, which is constructed so sparsely that each individual component – such as layered hand-claps, finger clicks, scratches, glass bottles, and more – is awarded prominence, even amongst the synths and sparkling keys. It’s a light-hearted and upbeat piece of music that acts as a therapeutic mood-enhancer.
On the B-side is the utterly brilliant ‘Twenty Red Kites’; the inspiration for which came from a friend’s visit to an arboretum, where he saw a flock of red kites emerge from the trees. With this majestic event in mind, it’s easy to appreciate this musical interpretation. Again, there’s an impressive use of the soundspace, with warping synths that pan from left to right around a twinkling key sequence. Echoes of notes drift off into the distance with the whooshing sound of the wind interspersed throughout, meaning you can bathe in the warmth and drift off with the wind through the trees. Beatless and dreamlike, there’s a depth of sound that Glassmasterer clearly has a knack for.
His chilled, ambient electronica provides a welcome respite from all of the white noise surrounding us on a daily basis. If you’re in need of a moment of pleasurable calm, then ‘Trouvaille’ is a must.
