Laura Misch – Sample The Sky

Laura Misch, a London based mutli-disciplinary artist, is already well-versed in crafting hypnagogic sounds that combine masterly musicianship with nimble composition. Misch has already released an impressive assemblage of early works, showcasing wide ranging proficiencies as a saxophonist, producer, composer and creative director. To some, therefore, it may be hard to believe that Sample The Sky is Misch’s first full-length album. For this debut, Misch expands her workflow, embracing a self-admittedly hard-earned extroversion to tap into her adjacent creative community and invite in a broader range of artistic textures; the result has mixed implications.

On the one hand, here Misch crafts a collection of tracks full of naturalistic beauty, as the interconnected ebb and flow of melodies, electronic beats and sonic inferences collude to deliver a co-opt of noteworthy moments. Opener ‘Hide To Seek’ sets the tone, with meditative saxophone melodies that move with gentle grace, like a soft breeze pushing the branches of a willow tree. The arpeggiating synthesiser of ‘Portals’ gives the impression of the homeostatic rise and fall that self-regulates natural ecosystems, and special mention should be made of Misch’s warm vocal, showcased best on tracks like ‘Widening Circles’.

Misch herself likens some recordings here as ‘mycelial’ – connected by organic networks – and that one could apply that term critically as well as positively; Sample The Sky does feel only partly speckled with the fruits of an entire hidden underground network of aptitude. It’s a record full of atmosphere and appeal, but there are instances that can feel a little fleeting, unfocused and condensed, leaving some promising ideas inadequately explored. Yet there is inarguable potential and talent here; Laura Misch is someone to keep an eye on.