The talented composer Ryan Teague could be viewed as a member of Steve Reich’s minimalist school, but there is much more to him than that derivative title might suggest. Previous album ‘Field Drawings’ impressed greatly with its strength in depth and the ability to spin small melodic loops into something more substantial – and this album manages the same trick rather impressively, with the addition of subtle beats. ‘Site And Situation’ and the warm-hearted ‘Scale And Ratio’ and ‘Last Known Position’ prove their point, while in ‘End Of The Line’ there are hints of Mike Oldfield’s ‘Tubular Bells’ – in a good way! Teague consistently finds the right blend of instruments and beats, and his instrumentation is finely judged so that a swell of cellos comes through here, a drip-drop of marimbas there, or a wash of subtle atmospherics roundabout. Each loop is beautifully presented, ideal for headphone or widescreen listening. It is surely only a matter of time before the big screen awaits Teague, but whichever way he chooses to go, his music deserves to go far.
5 out of 5
Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
{http://soundcloud.com/ryanteaguemusic/sets/block-boundaries}
