David Wahler has been releasing incredibly beautiful and relaxing music since his 2009 debut, Antiquus, and Singular is no exception. The ten original tracks are performed by David on piano, synth, pads, strings, bells and Omnisphere and make up a collection of "moments in time" from his life. Through his music, David has created something of a "novella" that expresses emotions and experiences that include love, guilt, reckless abandon, seclusion and intimacy from a life well-lived - "Looking back, looking forward, looking within." Most of the piano tracks are felted, which softens the sound of the piano's hammers hitting the strings, making it less percussive. The whole album has a very warm, dreamy feeling that can take us out of the craziness of our current world to a place of peace and tenderness - and what a refreshing break that is!

Singular begins with the title track, a piece with a delicate shimmering glow that is played on piano and cello with atmospheric synth sounds in the background. Slow and very smooth, it can put you into a reflective mood very quickly. "Lilt" is described as: "When a day evolves into an effortless smile" - a lovely thought! Built around a series of upward-moving broken chords on piano, the melody is very simple, but expresses the theme perfectly - I really love this one! David describes "Love in a Meadow" as: "A clandestine meetup at a time (1970) when same-sex love forced young lovers into reckless abandon." Very light and uplifting, there is a lot of joy in this piece, and you can almost feel the sun warming the skin in a beautiful meadow - I really like this one, too! "Solitude" is often expressed in music as feeling sad and isolated, but David describes his piece as "an introvert's castle." A very simple melody with relaxing broken chords on the piano, it is peaceful and very comfortable. "Olive Branch" is quite a bit darker and is played with a harp sound, bells, piano and washes of ethereal synth color, offering feelings of hope within insurmountable conflict - very heartfelt and beautiful. "If Only..." is described as "the distant voices of doubt, guilt, melancholy." One of the more ambient pieces on the album, feelings of deep reflection are occasionally punctuated with the clear sound of a bell. "Lotus Lake" was inspired by David's "place of peace, solitude, reckoning," and is a little glimpse of heaven set to music. You can almost see sunlight dancing on the gentle ripples on the lake. "Lento" reflects on living in a slower world and is a duet for piano and cello with various quiet synth sounds in the background - very calming. "Fingers Touching" returns to a livelier tempo, expressing the beginnings of new love - warm and joyful yet slightly tentative - another favorite (although I really like them all!). The album closes with "Love, Me": "my valediction to people, places, and events in my life." It's a bittersweet ending to a very personal reflection on the ups and downs of life that I think most of us can easily relate to.

Singular will be released on October 25, 2024 and will be widely available. More links will be added as they become available. I give Singular my highest recommendation!