Autumn Songs is a tiny treasure of a recording, about the size of a fallen leaf. The CD3″s letterpress design (made by A Sparrow by Water) is instantly endearing, creating a good mood before the music is even played. The story behind the split is just as appealing: Drone artist Graham Boosey (Rainbow Valley) stumbled upon Japanese trio Table Water Music while trolling Last.fm After a series of exchanges, the two acts agreed to pen a pair of seasonal songs.
Table Music Meeting’s “Autumn” is a sugar-dusted confection, reminiscent of the works of Lullatone. A nodding melodica is met with wooden blocks, a shy piano and a quiet oompah. This is the happy fall of collected leaf piles, school playgrounds and bright, hand-sewn costumes. Balancing the timbre, Rainbow Valley offers the stripped-down “Spinney”, representing a surprising shift to a softer spectrum. At first, it’s just birds, happily tweeting in the trees, taking a break before migration. And then a quiet music emerges; as if unwilling to disturb the birds, the artist plays his instruments as if they were whispers: a gently blown flute, a tapped xylophone, a tenderly strummed guitar. This is the subtle side of autumn: nostalgia, reflection, walks in the woods.
Together, the two tracks operate as snapshots of the season, sonic Instagrams to share with loved ones on a quickly-cooling night. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 