Urban Rituals

Brooding, introspective, beautiful. Gavin Lurssen returns with another very special release of instrumental Americana. A believer in the idea that music is a universal language, Lurssen is a master storyteller, able to communicate deep emotions through his music.

The power of instrumental music is unique. With no lyrics to follow and occupy your mind, your ears pay full attention to the full range of sounds. Your thoughts are able to roam as the music transports you to a different place, sometimes reminding you of past memories, other times inviting you to imagine new ones. Lurssen’s music in particular implores us to explore a diverse range of worlds and moods. It is the range itself that makes the listening experience so expansive. Each song is a world unto itself beckoning for us to explore, wander, play, and reflect.

Opening track, “Imagine That” establishes the tenderness and care that Lurssen extends to us on our musical journey. A beautiful melody sings on a fretless bass played by Lars Danielssen while an acoustic guitar holds us steady. The guitar will be our anchor through this adventure, a nod to Lurssen’s influences, Pink Floyd, Tom Petty, and many others. The longest piece on the album, “All In A Day,” beings gently with a shimmery, infectious chord progression played on acoustic guitar. Sarah O’Brian then joins in on cello with a gorgeous melody and from there the jam really builds. There is a cinematic quality to this piece, dramatic at its core, exploring the depths of emotion.

Danielssen’s fretless bass returns on “Venetian Rush Hour” and what a rush it is. The sound is mesmerizing, transporting you to the coast of the Balearic Sea where summer winds cool you and the sun’s reflection shimmers in the water. To listen and allow your mind to travel to new worlds is sometimes a treat and Lurssen surely invites us to indulge.

-- Miles Ginoza

Lurssen was particularly interested in working with Steven Miller on “Native Son” and Urban Rituals” based on his work dating back to the production and sound of the iconic “Aerial Boundaries” album by the late Michael Hedges. “The depths and soul of the guitar tones captured on that record are what set me on my path to pursue a career in sound technology in Los Angeles. I developed a strong friendship with Steven over the years on unrelated projects so it was a natural ask to have him put his touch on this music. He isn’t afraid to blow past boundaries and there is nothing precious about his style. His flavor is in there and a big part of what comes out of the speakers.”

In addition to the magic of Steven, the talents of JP Berreondo, Joel Soyffer and John Hendrickson are present in their amazing ability to capture the guitar recordings in full and true essence.

- Blue Coast Crew