Masterminded by multi-instrumentalist Joe Acheson, Hidden Orchestra have implemented a somewhat intriguing concept for their latest record ‘Dawn Chorus’. Using recordings of dawn choruses, “the singing of a large number of birds before dawn each day, particularly during the breeding season”, this act of nature is the focal point for each track on the project. An interesting concept, but do these bird songs come across as moments of paradisiacal serenity? Or do they simply act as an early morning nuisance that woke you up almost two hours before your alarm was supposed to go off?
Making use of Acheson’s first ever field recording of a dawn chorus captured on a walk at 5AM in mid-December of 2009, opener ‘First Light’ is a peaceful awakening to the mindset behind this record. From the crunching of the snow beneath your feet, to the delicate piano that is intertwined with the tweeting birds, the sounds of this tranquil journey are so familiar and intimate.
However the presence of dawn choruses aren’t simply here just for aesthetic reasons, they serve a much bigger role throughout the record as they are shaped and wielded to act as instruments. From the jittery percussion of ‘Western Isles’ and ‘Stone’, to the utterly exquisite and radiant instrumentations of ‘Still’ and ‘Wingbeats’, Acheson’s ability to focus and craft these soundscapes into entrancing works of art is nothing short of sheer brilliance.
Elsewhere on ‘Dawn Chorus’, ‘Long Orchard’ has Acheson playing piano alongside a recording of his Uncle from 1966. A brittle and sometimes unnerving listen, ‘Long Orchard’s orchestral tendencies makes it one of the record’s more absorbing and interesting cuts.
However, there are times where Hidden Orchestra’s ideas seem rather undercooked. ‘Serpentine’, whilst its short runtime may come as a welcome break from the rest of the album’s lengthy tracks, it ultimately exists as an idea that needs fleshing out. As for ‘Alyth’, even though it sounds pleasant enough, all of its ideas are laid out far too soon and results in the track’s approach becoming stagnant rather quickly.
Whilst the notion of dawn choruses may come across as gimmicky to some, Hidden Orchestra manages to use and manipulate these recordings in such a way that they become vital to the genetic make-up and experience of the LP. Resulting in a record that is so enriched by gorgeous instrumentation, ‘Dawn Chorus’ not only feels incredibly personal to Acheson, but it’s also an album that manages to embed itself into everyone’s perception of nostalgia and sentimentality.
7/10
Words: Liam Egan
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