A Cassowary Apart

The world of ambient banjo is a small one. This was the joke that brought together two participants in the scene from different sides of the globe. Without ever having met, Australian Andrew Tuttle and British duo Padang Food Tigers have crafted a sublime album.

It is a misconception that ambient music allows its listener to switch-off. At its best the genre provokes a birdwatcher-like alertness. Could that be a church organ on ‘Broadbeach Talbot Intersection’? Surely that ghostly skitter on ‘Elphin Cantle’ is a dulcimer, or perhaps not? There is a sprite-like charm in the elusiveness of the instrumentation and the melodic material is similarly tantalising. Not knowing when or if a beautiful banjo melody will return makes it all the more rewarding if you spot it again, by which time its context will have shifted to reveal a different contour. A Cassowary Apart is a sonic curiosity, both intricate and abstract. Rich in Reichian pulses, lap-steel swells and mysterious field recording, each track is a pleasure to listen to. Relaxing yes, but rewarding too.