goldmund: the malady of elegance

Originally released in 2008 on CD and in a very limited vinyl edition, The Malady Of Elegance by Goldmund aka Keith Kenniff finally gets its long-deserved vinyl re-release, featuring a new artwork and remastered audio by Taylor Deupree. Taking cues from Corduroy Road (2005) Keith Kenniff (aka Helios) again restricts himself to the piano in conjuring up his humble soundscapes and again you are pulled into a deep, meditative and filmic world as the notes glide to a slow, pensive meter. Keith's precedent release was the challenging Two Point Discrimination EP, released on the Western Vinyl label as part of their portrait series, but where that record was a collection of haunting experiments in form and sound, The Malady Of Elegance sees us back into the warming, homespun territory of Corduroy Road. That's not to say these compositions are upbeat, far from it in fact, but there are lines to be drawn to folk music, and while Keith no longer draws on the American Civil War as a primary influence there is still the sense that the ghosts of old America haunt the keys. On top of these references, you see Keith tripping somewhat fittingly into a flickering filmic world somewhat in line with his taste in European film. There is a delicate narrative on show throughout the record from the opening hopefulness of "Image-Autumn-Womb" through the melancholy of "Now" to the sensitive romance of the closing of the album. Listening to the record almost creates its own cinematic accompaniment in the mind's eye, and this is simply a testament to Keith's incredible talents as a composer. Fans of Erik Satie, Sylvain Chauveau, and Hauschka need look no further, The Malady Of Elegance is a deeply personal meditation which you cannot help but get lost inside. Includes download code; edition of 500.