CD Review

You probably never heard of Ray Raposa. If he’s as mysterious as his haunting compositions, then the leader of Castanets is probably proud to be secluded. First Light’s Freeze, Castanets' second release on Sufjan Stevens’ Asthmatic Kitty, haunts like the soundtrack of being lost in the woods on a cold winters night, and after almost falling into the abyss, the sun suddenly rises.

"Into The Night" whispers with a wind effect, as the lyrics "the war is on/all our friends are dying," boats of the album's primary themes of war and friendship. On "A Song Is Not The Song Of The World," Raposa toys with Krautrock electronics, proving the 35 minute song cycle isn’t just a camp-side nature experiment. The inner freak folk of Castanets is unveiled with the acoustic "Good Friend, Yr Hunger" and "Bells Alou," which place Raposa’s quivering voice front and center. The folk blends into sonic landscapes, eventually concluding with the ambient "Reflecting in the Angel, " sounding like an out of body sendoff.

Where the first Castanets record Cathedral was a true Americana record, First Light’s Freeze is a boldly composed collection of fragmented mood music that wins more on its shock value than accessibility. With a number of guests, including Stevens, Raposa is certainly asking a lot of the listeners' ears. Even if First Light's Freeze is hardly uplifting, like a jazz record, there’s still much to be discovered beneath the surface.