Charlie Rauh
The Silent Current From Within
Destiny Records
Charlie Rauh is a guitarist/composer based in New York City. He recently released a studio effort titled The Silent Current from Within, which features five songs. The first track happens to be the title track for this release, and it also features a collaboration with Ess See, bringing a different texture to the song with its vocal-only introduction.
The second song is “A Marked And Mended Sign.” This is a brief, yet incredibly atmospheric and melodic guitar-based composition. The drums are incredibly expressive and understated, highlighting the melodic changes of the guitar beautifully, and without ever overpowering the details of the execution of the latter. This track is one of the highlights on this release, especially due to its warm and organic sound, lending it an old-school flavor.
“Until The Charm Fades” is a mellow composition with a beautiful melodic flow and a some strings that add a soothing backdrop to the guitar tones. “As Simple As Water” is another masterfully executed guitar composition, which sees a folk-sounding guitar part with a soothing low register that accompanies the main melodies. The drum parts come in unexpectedly, taking the song to a completely different place, and even playing a bit with the contrast between melody and dissonance.
“If This Be All” is another collaborative effort with Ess See, and the hypnotic vocal parts are mesmerizing and beautifully, perfectly matching the ethereal feel of this release. Each song has something special to offer, and the production as a very earthy, natural quality to it, lending the musicianship a more authentic feel.
While some composers rely on digitally generated sounds, VSTs, and plugins, it seems that Charlie still loves the authentic warmth of instruments that are actually performed by other players. This is something that cannot be emulated, because the chemistry between musicians is definitely a rare commodity in this day and age. Charlie’s record is not only a great example of his skills as a composer, but also as a purveyor or amazing sounding records with a timeless attitude.
