The Reshaping of Sound: How Kelly Moran’s ‘Don’t Trust Mirrors’ Signals a New Era of Experimental Composition
Over 30 million people now listen to ambient music daily, a figure that’s tripled in the last five years. This surge isn’t just about relaxation; it’s a hunger for soundscapes that challenge expectations and blur genre lines. And few artists are doing that as compellingly right now as Kelly Moran. Her latest album, Don’t Trust Mirrors, isn’t simply a collection of songs – it’s a statement about the future of composition, one where the boundaries between acoustic and electronic, familiar and unsettling, are deliberately fractured.
Beyond Neo-Classical: A Return to Disruption
Moran’s previous release, 2024’s Moves in the Field, felt like a deliberate detour. While beautiful, its more conventional neo-classical approach stood in stark contrast to the prepared-piano explorations of earlier works like Bloodroot (2017) and Ultraviolet (2018). Don’t Trust Mirrors marks a decisive return to that experimental core, a willingness to embrace dissonance and push beyond the comfortable. This isn’t about rejecting accessibility, but rather redefining it on her own terms.
The Legacy of Cage and the Art of Deception
Moran’s work is deeply rooted in the legacy of John Cage, particularly his pioneering use of prepared piano. Inserting objects onto the strings – screws, bolts, rubber – transforms the instrument’s timbre, creating percussive, otherworldly sounds. But Moran doesn’t stop there. She layers in electronic treatments, honed through collaborations with artists like Daniel Lopatin (Oneohtrix Point Never), resulting in compositions that are both intimately acoustic and strikingly modern. The album frequently creates the illusion of a harp, a sonic trickery that underscores the album’s central theme: appearances can be deceiving.
Soundtrack for a Shifting Reality
Each track on Don’t Trust Mirrors feels meticulously crafted to evoke a specific mood or narrative. “Echo in the Field,” with its bubbling synths and harp-like textures, captures a cautious optimism, perhaps reflecting the tentative hope that emerged as the world began to emerge from pandemic lockdowns. “Prism Drift” is a masterclass in atmospheric tension, a piece so evocative it practically begs to be used in a film score – imagine it accompanying a protagonist facing a pivotal life decision. “Systems” delivers a more kinetic energy, reminiscent of Nala Sinephro’s work but with a bolder, more assertive keyboard presence.
The Rise of Hybrid Soundscapes
Moran’s approach isn’t isolated. Across genres, artists are increasingly blending acoustic and electronic elements, creating hybrid soundscapes that defy easy categorization. This trend is driven by several factors: advancements in music technology, a growing desire for sonic innovation, and a rejection of traditional genre constraints. We’re seeing this in everything from the glitchy, organic electronica of artists like Rival Consoles to the ambient explorations of Brian Eno. Prepared piano techniques, once considered niche, are now gaining wider recognition and influence.
The Giallo Influence and the Future of Atmospheric Composition
The album culminates in “Cathedral,” a truly ambitious and enigmatic track. Moran cites Italian giallo film soundtracks – particularly those by Goblin – as an influence, and it shows. The track possesses a similar sense of dramatic tension, a blend of beauty and unease. This embrace of cinematic influences points to a broader trend: composers are increasingly looking to film, video games, and other visual media for inspiration, creating music that is inherently narrative and immersive.
Implications for Film and Game Scoring
The demand for original, atmospheric scores is booming, fueled by the growth of streaming services and the increasing sophistication of video game soundtracks. Composers like Kelly Moran, who can seamlessly blend acoustic and electronic elements, are uniquely positioned to capitalize on this demand. Expect to see more experimental sound design and unconventional instrumentation in film and game scores in the coming years.
Don’t Trust Mirrors isn’t just a great album; it’s a glimpse into the future of composition. It’s a reminder that the most exciting music often comes from those who are willing to challenge conventions and embrace the unexpected. What new sonic territories will Moran explore next? The possibilities, like the album itself, are intriguingly deceptive.
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