Larkenlyre is the moniker that pianist Matthew Labarge uses for electronic and ensemble projects. With the EP Quiet Like Snow, he is hitting a middle ground between his Larkenlyre and solo piano efforts.
Press release by Higher Level Media
It is akin and follow-up to his music from the Long Quiet piano album – with added instruments, but a similar deep feeling of serenity. It is only four tracks, but while he was working on these pieces he discovered that the set of four told a complete story.
Matthew got his first record player in the early 70s and was an album listener as opposed to a singles listener right from the start. Music took over his life. For many years he listened to every album he got his hands on at least a few dozen times. When he thinks of great albums, he doesn’t think as much about an individual piece as he does the role it plays in the unfolding of the album.
Each album he’s made tells a story. He loves having a beginning, a series of contemplations or transformations or something, and an end. The individual pieces are chapters of a novel. Ever since that first record player, music has played a seminal role in his life. His greatest hope is to create music that speaks to someone the way that music speaks to him.
His two Larkenlyre projects have allowed for vastly more varied expression than solo piano alone can provide. A huge spectrum of influences come to bear, including ambient, African, Indian, South American, psychedelic rock, and classical.
For more information and music samples, see matthewlabarge.com.