by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The Available Light is the second album from Josh Hill under his pseudonym The Hillside Project. The title represents a response by Hill to a difficult period in his life, the composer saying, “It was both surprising and incredibly reassuring to find the music I was creating was not morose or dark, but some of the happiest, dynamic, light-filled music I’ve ever made. I didn’t really have a choice about it.”

What he terms as ‘a musical jigsaw’ is scored for piano, synths, percussion and string quintet, with the expert guidance of arranger Sam J. Gale.

What’s the music like?

The title is indeed an accurate reflection of the music within, the dappled textures rather beautifully arranged. Often the effect is akin to that of sitting in a large, airy room with the curtains billowing due to the breeze outside. While the room itself is quite dim, outside is ablaze with promise and bright sunshine, and that continued light seeps in to where the listener is.

Hill uses a ‘felted’ piano, which is to say he uses a felt on his upright piano. This ought to dampen the textures but in fact he plays with more power, bringing a distinctive brightness to the resultant sound. The strings act as an effective counterpoint, creating a glacial coolness with the vibraphone for Silvers and Shards. The piano itself generates a good deal of momentum, too, in rushes of positivity like Adamantine Lustre.

On occasion the influence of film composers such as Thomas Newman or groups such as Radiohead can be discerned, but Hill keeps his own distinctive forms of expression, balancing the strings and piano beautifully. The violin leads a particularly beautiful stream of consciousness on the title track, while Sparkler Dims enjoys an exploration of consonant discords that come when the piano is slightly out of tune.

The arrangements have a sensitively sourced beauty. Dizygotic II uses a rich texture of five cello parts, warming the cockles, while by contrast Dizygotic I has a touching violin solo. Skirmish draws the listener in through its soft intonations, the piano initially resembling a distant bell before the momentum gathers. Finally A Closing provides a moving postlude.

Does it all work?

It does indeed. Hill has that rare ability of being able to use what sounds like simple musical language to lasting effect, lifting his work well above the average. Closer examination reveals that there is a lot more going on than appears to be the case on surface level, with melodic figures dancing this way the that. The Available Light was written in the space of three days, which explains its fresh and instinctive feel.

Is it recommended?

Yes indeed. Josh Hill provides a musical glimpse of spring, even as the leaves fall in the storm-ridden northern hemisphere.

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