The Silent Ballet review “Islet EP” by Pawn
Is there any instrument dreamier than the glass harp? The glass harp is “ethereal” personified, the perfect centerpiece for an ambient album. Pawn takes full advantage of the instrument, layering the sharp drones with delicate piano and field-recordings to remarkably beautiful effect. Islet is a brief EP, clocking in at just over twenty minutes, which is enough time for the sound to stay dreamy and pleasant without getting too, well, glassy. Islet is an extremely fragile record between the glass harp, the playground samples, and the upper-range piano plinks—any more than the five tracks here could easily get too airy to be interesting. Really, it’s almost too much to have it released on a 3” CD, too; it’s all so barely there. A gorgeous little piece of ambience while it lasts, just don’t listen to it too hard, or you might break it.