Track listing: Do I Belong in Here with You, Vow, An Illusion, Abysm, Remotion, 4eva, Analytic Virtue, Reverie Is Ours, It's Just Another Shot, What We've Become, Be Patient with a Patient, Sleep Perfume
Karl McCann's Remotion opens with somber strains of acoustic guitar and cello, his stark whispery vocal lays a haunting melody over the chords, repeating the track's title "Do I Belong in Here with You" throughout. An eerie beginning, no doubt, yet a clear message sent by the near six-and-a-half minute preface to the rest of the album.
"Vow" continues the mood, sans cello, until the the drum loop of "An Illusion" breaks the 11-minute percussion-less voyage. But the slow tempo isn't aimed to cheer-up anyone, leading into "Abysm."
Production-wise, there are frequent peaks above the max signal level, adding moments of distortion to the acoustic guitar and vocal tracks. Normally I'd call out the producer for not catching these. But somehow they seem intentional here, adding to the tension set by McCann's morose chord progressions.
Remotion is an introspective journey into the heart and mind of Karl McCann--a raw peek into the artist's psyche. Perhaps the polar opposite of a pick-me-up album, his songs create a soundtrack for an emotional rainy day. A daydream, if you will, as explored through "Reverie is Ours," followed by a long slumber made even deeper with the help of McCann's "Sleep Perfume."