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Jun 29, 2023 Web Exclusive By Matt the Raven

Working in an expanded sense of space, Jimmy LaValle, the creative force behind The Album Leaf, mined his extensive and ever evolving library of musical sessions to construct the 12 tracks that would become The Album Leaf’s seventh studio album.

While Future Falling contains some of the sweeping cinematic soundscapes, glitchy electronics, and classical ambient tendencies the band is known for, it is also a much more sophisticated affair. Nimble pop motifs flow through a conduit of ethereal, clever dreamscapes floating atop delicately pulsating rhythms, polished with radiant waves of fluid synth washes amid crystalline pure production.

Infusing assorted moods ranging from soothing to brooding to the simply sublime, LaValle is
especially adept at adding quirky little percussive sounds and pulsating bass lines that offer a counterbalance to the majestic harmonies and give the tracks depth, often employing airy electronics that provide a multi-layered and textural edge.

“Dust Collects” is the most recognizably Album Leaf song on the album but it’s evident that the focus is on exploring new sounds. In an effort to integrate fresh external perspectives, songs “Afterglow” and “Near” (featuring Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter Kimbra and Natasha Khan aka Bat For Lashes, respectively), veer off target as they include the misplaced use of Auto-Tune and venture into pretty, new age territory. But these minor inconsistencies can be overlooked since the bulk of Future Falling’s atmospheric melodies are engaging and crafty and skillfully executed with meditative and melancholic flair. (www.thealbumleaf.com)

Author rating: 7/10