David Holmes - I Heard Wonders (Universal)
4/5
By: Michael Cragg
BUY DOWNLOADDavid Holmes has always been an act on the periphery of dance music; a man respected more then loved, a faceless musician whose recent success has come through soundtrack work on the likes of Out Of Sight and Code 46. So it's perhaps surprising to learn that Holmes' first single was released over sixteen years ago and that 'I Heard Wonders' is taken from his fourth studio album, entitled The Holy Pictures.
For an artist more recently renowned for sound tracking other people's visions, it's also surprising to learn that The Holy Pictures is a deeply personal look at Holmes' life in Belfast, focusing on his late parents, his friends, love and loss. With 'I Heard Wonders' the use of the past tense is crucial, Holmes' soft, mumbled vocals recalling dreams and visions that he can't shake. Such is the delivery, you're never really sure if he's content with this or frightened to death, and hovering over its four minute duration is a ghostly unease.
Musically, the song relies heavily on the same motorik groove used by Neu! and other Krautrock bands, with a great keyboard figure that takes the song to a whole new level when the chorus kicks in. The b-side is a remix by Andy Weatherall that adds little to the original but slows things down just enough so that you can catch your breath.
A welcome return for a cinematic musician in every sense of the word.
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