19. EP Review of Rainfall on All and Sundry by Andy Dollerson

Originally published July 29th, 2024

About the Artist

Andy Dollerson is a composer/producer from Bournemouth, UK. He has worked as a composer for film and television and makes up one half of the duo, Quebec Antique, with Michael Blake.

Rainfall on All and Sundry Is not the most recent release by Dollerson. He actually just released Owl Feather on the 17th of July. For more information about Andy and the wonderful work he has been doing musically, be sure to visit him on social media. Don’t forget to give him a like and follow as well. He can be found here and here, as well as the Spotify link I provided earlier.

About the Music

“Rainfall on All and Sundry” is a 3-Song Instrumental EP, with a runtime of about 8 and a half minutes. Instrumentally, it’s pretty simple to gauge what is being played here, because it’s just piano. If you listen very closely, there are background noises that have been caught in the recording. Sort of clicks, creaks, and other organic sounds. Whether or not they were intended to be heard, they are and they absolutely help set the scene, serving as marker in the atmosphere that Andy Dollerson has created for the listener. They could simply be him shifting in a chair or a stool, with no intention. But they exist, and therefore, have a purpose.

Musically, the project is far more complex than how many instruments were used to make the EP. Dollerson has given us an incredible piece of music with unpredictable chord progressions. He has given us something that captures emotion at its purest and he didn’t have to speak or sing one word to get us there. His music is as effective as paintbrush; working diligently, yet effortlessly to paint a scene. The trick is that he’s given the listener control of the paintbrush. With just having one instrument playing and no vocals to support the melody, he has given the listener the opportunity to use their imagination over his creation. It’s collaborative, it’s complex, and it’s brilliant.

Melodically, Dollerson’s EP is just about as beautiful as a piece of music can be. It is also multifaceted in that it makes me feel both warm and cold, sad and inspired, and it’s familiar yet completely original. The style is mostly arpeggiated; and centrally located on the keyboard. 

Final Thoughts

I know this review is one of the shorter ones I’ve ever written. There are two reasons for that: One, there’s not a lot to break down with it being a solo instrumental EP that plays for all of 8 minutes. The second reason is that the music speaks on its own. Without lyrics. Without the dynamics of multiple instruments, vocalists, or a story. The music inspires. It provokes the imagination. It serves as a vehicle for the listener to create the story.

So take a moment to get lost in this wonderful EP. Fifteen Minutes of Fame? You could listen to this twice in that time! 

Please make sure to follow Andy Dollerson and check out his new releases!

Comments

  1. Robert MoranJuly 29, 2024 at 9:01 PM

    There is a very distinct image conjured by this trio of lovely songs in my mind, like thoughtful background music to a montage of short still frame images and 8 mm film reels of memories, capturing a little bit of every emotional fragment that could be brought to life as the interplay of chord and melody wanders. I think some of this emotion is derived of more modern inspiration, less Chopin and more compositions by Glass, Giacchino, and Mitsuda. Now lets see what else Mr. Dollerson has to offer.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Jeff ThomasJuly 30, 2024 at 1:36 PM

    Well put! I agree with your analysis and I like the share with what it brings to mind with your imagination.

    ReplyDelete

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