Over the course of his lifetime and career, Derek VanScoten has traversed a multitude of genres, hybrid sounds, and production styles. Perhaps best known for his uplifting, vivacious guitar melodies and careful arrangements, he's spent the last five years channeling those sumptuous vibes through his CloudChord project. Though his music has always kept one solid foot in the world of conventional instrumentation and songwriting, he's tapped into the lifeblood organic production in Reverence, putting the spotlight on his sheer musicianship and compositional scope.

VanScoten's catalog traditionally features choice blends of synthesis, guitars, flutes, brass, and a bevy of other instrumental and digital combinations. All of it carries the distinct sonic profile of his musical musings; clean, pure tones, elaborative compositions, and a toaster-warm mix and master. Reverence maintains this formula, but subtly departs from the sound palette of previous albums like Koi Pond and Diamonds through intense focus on the guitar and its classic, charismatic character. 

Stripping back additive layers and eclectic sound design, the result is a pocketed collection of smooth, interloping songs that come directly from the center of VanScoten's musicality. Be it the jubilant phrasing of "Cherish", the interwoven harmonies of "A Hui Hou", or the legato meanderings of "Brighton Falls", the stapled trappings and styles of Cloudchord's music take on bold characters through frugal, solid textures. Tracks like "Doran and Newell" and "Lofi Bach" ebb into territories marked by more intense synthesis and digital timbres, but retain the oxygenated character of the album's instrumental focus. Individually, each track is a font of compositional twists and turns, and in unison, they create an album that feels as narrative as it is lightweight.

After several decades of musical escapades, Derek VanScoten's aural toolkit feels as sharp as ever. Without so much as a dulled edge, he's maintained an output and a focus on his craft that is particularly impressive by any metric, and Reverence is certainly no exception. It seems that no matter what tangential sonic territory the Cloudchord project touches, the results are universally potent, and while we're certain to be enjoying this album for months to come, we're already keeping our eyes peeled on the near horizon for VanScoten's next aural adventure.

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