Onno Kul—Daydreams

I review a lot of music in the early hours of the morning. It's when I have time for myself, with the house still quiet and calm. That being said, sometimes my mind isn't quite as calm, so listening to something that soothes and allows the mind to perform a gentle reset is always very welcome.

The EP opens with the title track "daydreams" and the instant the piano starts, you can almost feel the weight fall away. Now, I've been somewhat critical in the past of being able to hear the ambient sounds associated with the actual playing of the piano. They hit me immediately here, but I think I experienced a little epiphany somewhere within the first 20 seconds or so. Rather than being something perfect and overproduced, what you effectively have is a live performance. It's as though you can close your eyes and someone is playing, just for you.

The EP continues with "Lost Along the Way" and I think the first thing I noticed was the rather jarring transition. It's almost as though the previous track was cut off without being given time to finish. That's not in any way a detriment to this track, which continues the calming, relaxed theme. The gentle introduction gradually develops into a waltz that you can't help but get lost in.

A similar feeling comes with "Beyond the Horizon", which very much embraces that waltz feel. It's slow, dreamy and a perfect complement to the other tracks.

The EP closes with "Echoes of Summer", bringing us yet another waltz. That sounds almost like a criticism, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I went back and checked the opening track and, while it has a somewhat shrouded beginning, it too is a waltz. They all have their own nuances, but together they form a lovely collection of pieces. Once again, though, this track ends a little too abruptly.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the EP, it did have one overarching problem, for me at least, and that was one of time. There is only one track that runs a little over two minutes, with the other three all coming in slightly under that mark. This is the kind of music you want to spend time with, especially if you're looking for a balm to the madness of everyday life. The brevity of the tracks makes the EP feel something akin to a sampler, almost as though it's something being put together for movie studios to pitch for soundtrack work. And it's not just this EP. I looked back at their previous work and it seems that the two-minute mark is the norm, which is a real shame.

It might sound like a major criticism, but it's really only because I enjoyed the music so much that I wanted more, which alas wasn't forthcoming. This is certainly an artist I'll be returning to, although I hope next time they'll give us a little more to enjoy.