Ghost Lily Cascade

Ghost Lily Cascade marked the return of Martin Archer on record after an eight-year hiatus. Exit the Hornweb saxophone quartet (his previous endeavor); Archer is now into electronics and it shows. The main difference between this disc and his previous solo album Wild Pathway Favourites is the front-stage role of electronics and samplings. Acoustic instruments are still present, though; guitar, cello, double bass, flute, trumpet, and percussion can be detected here and there, sometimes almost taking the lead. But this album is mostly Archer and buddies Chris Bywater and Charlie Collins painting sparse alien landscapes in which uncharted regions abound. One could think the acoustic instruments would bring a more normal feel to the mix, but instead they are sampled and used in ways that make the resulting music even more eerie.

Archer's music is a cross between abstract London-based free improv (in the styles of John Butcher or even Phil Minton) and experimental electronics. Ghost Lily Cascade is a strong effort, but Archer will perfect his writing and achieve higher creative standards with Winter Pilgrim Arriving. ~ François Couture, Rovi