Sufjan Stevens
BQE
(Asthematic Kitty; 2009)
8.0/10
Stevens’ eighth release is the soundtrack to a home-movie styled documentary, about the division of colourful New York City neighbourhoods, Brooklyn and Queens by the decrepit artery of an expressway.
The soundtrack, composed by Stevens and preformed with a 36-piece orchestra, showcases jumpy woodwinds grappling with regal brass and plucky piano chords.
Highlights include “Interlude I: Dream Sequence In Subi Circumnavigation,” a track that is both eerie and dreamy, climaxing into a frantic and erratic beat, and the aptly named “Traffic Shock,” where the album changes gears for one song into a classically composed tune fed into a pulsing beat machine.
Exquisitely composed, this album truly underlines the exceptional musicianship of Stevens.
Trial Track: “Movement III: Linear Tableau With Intersecting Surprise”
