Clarity by Margaret Harmer

With this 4th solo album by Margaret Harmer, she brings forth a full world of percussion instruments serving a very housy-ambient style. The complex rhythmic patterns are balanced on a four on the floor kick - this music is made to dance.

The album came through the idea of using handpans and kalimbas as a base of colour throughout the entire album. These bright melodic pentatonic percussion instruments are doubled by other mallet percussion : vibraphone, marimba & glockenspiel. The album is completed by the large frame drum family and different drum sets, conventional and unconventional sets - all these are played or sampled and then doubled with more electronic drums. Analog synths are used for other lush melodic parts creating a joyous atmosphere.

“I sampled crushed autumn leaves for the main rhythmic pattern in Falling gracefully. I created different metal drum sets for Fresh Start & Yellow & Pink where I also played my handpan through distorted guitar pedals. I made my own brushes out of a broomstick and played them on a djembé. I played my wooden Loota drum set in my kitchen in Can’t sleep. For that same piece I went to my local train station and sung in the underground passage to get some natural reverb for the vocals. For Over driven I played my electronic Aframe, a futuristic Japanese frame drum synth. I played & recorded different grand pianos while travelling through Switzerland and Germany, like a lovely grand Bösendorfer in a chapel in the Swiss Alps”

“These are a few examples of the artistic work and dedication that went into this album. I took me over 2 and a half years to complete.”

This album is for dancing, being happy in your kitchen or on the road. The world is in a difficult state and we need more clarity.

Fresh Start music video : https://youtu.be/6h5zddS2xA0

Percussionist, artist, music teacher. Love field recordings & sound design.
Own a small music production business: shiftingwaves.com

shiftingwaves.com