Euglossine is the solo project of multi-instrumentalist and composer Tristan Whitehill. With a catalog of over fifteen diverse releases spanning a decade on labels like Orange Milk, Hausu Mountain, and Phinery, Euglossine's discography continues to move ambitiously across genre and time. Whitehill's new album, Strawberries In Rain, continues Euglossine's artistic shape-shifting. The album is the follow-up to Euglossine's 2022 soft jazz masterpiece, Some Kind Of Forever. Whereas Some Kind Of Forever was largely influenced by the early ECM catalog, Strawberries In Rain instantly brings to mind the soft acoustic guitar of the early Windham Hill catalog.
Where previous Euglossine releases were a complex balance of jazz fusion, sound design, and computer music, Some Kind Of Forever and Strawberries In Rain see the artist pulling back and searching for simplicity. But while Some Kind Of Forever was Whitehill's most refined work to date, Strawberries In Rain feels light with an air of improvisation. But these playful guitar ruminations bring more depth with each listen, and it's another fascinating step in the Euglossine catalog.
[Bandcamp]