Slow Dancing Society
The Cogent Sea
Hidden Shoal Recordings

Drew Sullivan's project has been going on for some years now, but his Slow Dancing Society is not going any slower, or staller on his sixth album, The Cogent Sea. The sea may be calm, but there are currents, strange flow patterns, undercurrents, a whirlpool, little swirls, a maelstrom and such to trick you and drag you in deep. However, that said, relax, chill, you will be all safe and sound. The ambient musical patterns of Slow Dancing Society will caress you and pet you mildly and gently. And, after a while you will float safely to the surface again.

Drew Sullivan's Slow Dancing Society (SDS) is the soundtrack to some deep sea drilling in slow motion. Imagine that as you dive into SDS's 1980s playpool. This is expressive ambient minimalism, where warm sounds surround you at once. You feel welcome from the second you enter Sullivan's world. The album is like a travel through a day in the life of Slow Dancing Society - maybe even a day submerged in The Cogent Sea...?), from the opening "Come The Morning Light", through the closing Suspension. Twelve tracks all together. In less than 50 minutes, but of course: it can be put on repeat. Again and again. It is highly recommended. For mind and body. For a total chill-out and relaxation, to find some spiritual meditative position just to float away on the musical waves. Sullivan's gentle grips and neat web of tones and sounds dance slowly around you. Comfortable guitar chords and pleasant synth figures create patterns, blankets and mazes that will surround you. Here are slow drones and slowly building walls of sound, and everything's oh, so slow, and at perfect speed. "O Captain! My Captain!", Captain Sullivan steers the submarine deeper and deeper, and we can hear, feel and sense the sound of silence from the outside. Nothing. Maybe with the exception of tiny beeps from the sonar. Echo beeps. The vessel (of the Sullivan-class?) glides through the sea, at half speed, propellers turned off, and everything feels so brilliantly splendid. It is a pleasure ride for sure. Come on. Check in. Enjoy.

We missed out SDS's fifth album, Laterna Magica (2012) here at LK. Oh, sorry, we missed out his third album, Priest Lake Circa '88 (2008), as well; we only span through its single, A Warm Glow. Besides that, we have been 'on-board' his slowly revolving records since his debut, The Sound of Lights When Dim (2006). It will not happen again. We will follow Sullivan's steps and check out SDS's path from now and forever. For now, we're through The Cogent Sea. Mission accomplished. We are ashore again. Happy, safe, and exhausted, but, ready for another adventure beyond the sea. Slow Dancing Society's music has got this warm inner glow that will recharge your bodily batteries if they are running a bit low.

Copyright © 2014 Håvard Oppøyen