Ry X - Dawn

From alter-ego Howling to The Acid, Ry X has been a man with fingers in many musical pies to say the least, but the distinctive fragility of his performance has remained central to all he’s put his hand to.

Although the opening interlude does little to set the tone with its frankly drab orchestral washes, the subsequent ‘Shortline’ sees Ry X demonstrate his ability to draw you in before unravelling an all-consuming web of lush textures and subtle swells – it’s the most lasting interpretation of this track to date. ‘Howling’ remains an evergreen standout of Ry’s work, and while both of these tracks, along with ‘Berlin’ have been released in various formats across Ry’s projects in the past, they feel as at home within the full-length ‘Dawn’ as they have anywhere else.

Having reconsidered his outlook following that failed first crack as a musician, Ry’s unique and refined visions have always been worn on his sleeve, and his desire to realise them authentically have been key to his success. It would be easy to reduce the ideas on ‘Dawn’ to a return to his early work as Ry X – the threadbare productions of the ‘Berlin’ EP – but there’s so much more offered through this record.

Rather than attempting to carve out a new niche or stripping everything back to its roots, ‘Dawn’ draws on everything that Ry has absorbed in recent years, and projects with fresh perspective. Six years on from his album as Ry Cuming, ‘Dawn’ is the debut he can truly treasure.