Ambient and Soundscape artist Kyle Preston has been building up quite a name for himself over the past few years, having been featured on numerous official Spotify playlists, won awards for his work on video games, and been praised by publications including the Los Angeles Times and The New Yorker. His new album Kyle Preston – Fear Not the Water (released via the Hyper Midi label), meanwhile, is sure to contribute to the artist’s growing renown, featuring eight tracks that offer peaceful, relaxing but also contemplative vibes.
As is to be expected based on the album’s title, the majority of the tracks on Kyle Preston – Fear Not the Water feature water-based titles, including the ethereal opener Ocean Drifter. Its breathy synths and soothing melodies ebb and flow like the gentle tide of the sea, transporting the listener to a truly serene place where their worries seem to slip away into nothing. Other tracks like Tide Pools feature some darker undertones, reflecting one of the album’s overarching themes of loss. This track in particular has a distinctly ruminative feel, perhaps on account of the low rumbles of electronic bass and higher, more palpable melodies that continue throughout its three minute duration. The penultimate track Liquid Eclipse, meanwhile, is possibly the album’s highlight, setting itself apart from the other tracks that feature with rippling piano and light, delicate plucks of melody.
Kyle Preston – Fear Not the Water is a beautiful album that is sure to keep listeners relaxed from beginning to end, with the artist himself suggesting it is perfect to listen to whilst reading, or to accompany “quiet moments”. Interestingly, Preston has also put together a book of poetry and images to accompany the album; available to purchase via his Bandcamp page, the book adds an extra artistic touch to an album that is quite clearly a labour of love.
