The August Fades EP from Kasket is a mesmeric three track piece of soundscape and ambient beauty. It does not seemingly pick on particular specifics for its pieces of music but draws on and explores the essences of things to fire them with his distinct imagination. Eclectic of sound and ideas, the songs within the release ignite thoughts and personal imagination whilst providing a soundtrack to inspired individual thoughts and visions of the listener. The release is magnetic without being wholly infectious and impactful without being forceful, simply engaging pieces of intelligent and inventive composing brought with skill and vision.
Kasket, or Charlie Baldwin as his parents named him, is a 22-year-old Brighton based musician who uses and explores electronic music as texture to his ambient compositions, his approach unafraid to bring a raw presence alongside captivating melodic touches and whispers. From a musical family, his father a world renowned jazz guitarist and mother and brother also playing instruments skilfully, his early career saw him playing drums alongside such R&B/Jazz luminaries as Geno Washington and Ralph Salmins as well as with Gary Husband, Mo Foster and David Hentschel. All the while he was writing his own music, exploring and evolving it until he found the sound he was happy with. His first release came with diaMind records in the shape of the well received Torn Letters EP, to be followed with the equally successful 4her EP via Screwloose Records. August Fades is the next step as his music moves forward and is released by the legendary Apollo Records on September 10th.
The three tracks which make up the EP are all impressive but the opener Fallen steals the show. It starts off like a percussive mix of wind chimes and water features all with an oriental lilt to immediately captivate and send the mind into new avenues. Baldwin loves to fuse electronic energies with live percussion and drums, sounds he has found, and synth woven beauty. This track is the perfect example of what his intent musically is and how successful he is at its realisation. The song swarms and envelopes from ear to heart taking in thoughts and emotions. It transports one to an elegant and mystical world which has a familiar and warm heart ensuring an almost siren like kiss upon the senses with a vibrant and lively endeavour. With vocoder spawn vocals the song pulsates and vibrates with a heated shimmer and enthralling gait to leave one full immersed within its striking world.
The following Mia feels dulled in comparison to and alongside the opener but taken alone is an emotive and provocative R&B laced piece of music. With a cinematic flavour which could see it guide any teen angst/emotional and reflective movie scene, the song again lights up thoughts and ideas, the release as a whole the instigator of stories rather than a narrative.
The closing title track opens with an industrial presence which from initially feeling like it would take a cold and maybe apocalyptic avenue emerges as another heated piece of electronic caressing. Its touch is ruffled and presence edgy but it is soaked in hope and warmth to steer the shadows away from the core of the song, banishing them to its limits and expressive atmospheres. Like the opener it is a more potent instigator of feelings but still has to bow to the might of the opening song.
August Fades is an impressive release which plays beyond the ear to involve and employ all the senses and thoughts available. It is imagination at its most compulsive and captivating whilst Kasket is a composer and artist one only wants to hear a lot more from, and surely we will.
http://www.facebook.com/kasketmusic
RingMaster 08/09/2012
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
The best and easiest way to get your music on iTunes, Amazon and lots more. Click below for details.
The RingMaster Review 
Leave a Reply