Magic is afoot on Nick Storring’s My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell.
A few years ago, Toronto-based composer/musician Nick Storring curated a concert series for the arts organization I worked for. What struck me most then, about Storring was the depth of his musical knowledge. He knew so many artists who navigated different sonic worlds, and he could pluck them from his mind and link them together like a complex connect-the-dots worksheet with a magnificent final image.
On Storring’s latest release, My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell, his ability to connect seemingly disparate sounds is at the forefront and magic is afoot. Storring – who composed, recorded, performed, and mixed the record – bridges many tones and sonic styles in six expansive neo-classical tracks that are constantly in flux. “Now Neither One Of Us Is Breaking,” for instance, begins with jazz lounge vibes but ends with an ominous drone. The album’s opener “Tides That Defeat Identity” is built gradually as Storring adds layers of instrumentation until your entire body is covered in sound. And then, around the half-way mark, he mimics the tide, the dense strings are washed away, and starting with the faint tinkling of chimes, Storring begins to build something new.
In a similarly sprawling manner, “What A Made Up Mind Can Do” also shapeshifts. The piece has a spooky beginning, occupied by instrumental screeches, glitches, and the creaking of strings until a fun bass line kicks up the cobwebs and scares off any demons — at least temporarily. Slowly, Storring’s playful soundscape fades away as if it’s being sucked up by a proton pack, and what remains is the shaky clattering of the objects left behind.
Mastered by Sandro Perri, My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell is, indeed, dreamy. Storring’s magic dreams are intricately textured and contain many moods, and yet the album feels soft and tranquil. The nuanced recordings allow for deep explorations, but they can also be the backing soundtrack to your daily movements. What makes the multi-faceted nature of My Magic Dreams Have Lost Their Spell even more impressive is that this is a solo recording. Storring is the conductor. The lone orchestra member. The mighty dreamer.
