ISMAY’s sophomore album, “Desert Pavement,” isn’t quite past, nor quite present. It’s not just reality, nor just fantasy. It blends country twang with urban whispers, creating a unique soundscape that’s both strange and captivating.
The title itself reflects this in-between space. Inspired by the natural phenomenon of desert pavement – a barren, windswept expanse where even seeds struggle to sprout – the album uses this image to explore the richness that can exist even in the most unexpected places.
ISMAY delves into the past for inspiration. The opening track, “The Shearer & The Darby Ram,” reimagines a traditional English folk song from a child’s perspective, faced with the daunting task of shearing a massive ram. Similarly, “Stranger in the Barn” uses a child’s viewpoint to tell a dreamlike tale of a family taking in a mysterious drifter. These songs, with their simple language and vivid imagery, evoke a timeless quality, a sense of stories passed down through generations.
But ISMAY doesn’t shy away from the modern world either. Tracks like “Streaming Family” explore the artificial connection fostered by social media, while “Essay Man” delves into the unsettling disconnect between someone’s online persona and their dark reality. By placing these themes alongside tales of shepherds and farms, ISMAY makes the modern world seem just as strange and unfamiliar as those bygone eras.
Having spent their youth on a ranch, ISMAY has a deep connection to nature. This is particularly evident in songs like “The Lonely Stallion,” where the singer’s sorrow resonates with the lost horse’s search for its herd. “Coyote in the Road” and “The Dove, The Shrew, and The Raccoon” further explore emotions that are perhaps best expressed through the voices of animals. This de-personalization continues in “Melodies,” where ISMAY imagines their essence captured on a vinyl record, a silent companion on a loved one’s dresser.
Andrew Marlin’s production on “Desert Pavement” creates a spacious, dreamlike atmosphere that allows all these diverse perspectives to coexist. By offering these unique glimpses into the world, ISMAY carries on the tradition of masterful storytellers, giving voice to the unheard and unseen. This album is a testament to the enduring power of folk music, a reminder that the stories we tell, both old and new, help us understand ourselves and the world around us. – Jason Felton