“Rapids” by Martin Lloyd Howard doesn’t feel like a typical single you just play once and move on. It’s the kind of track you end up replaying without really planning to. It’s one of the best insturmental pieces I’ve heard in months.
The whole piece is built around a solo acoustic guitar and that’s all it needs to get your attention. There is no extra layers, no distractions. Just him and the guitar moving through these flowing patterns that shift between calm and quick bursts of energy. Sometimes it’s steady and almost quiet and sometimes it picks up and your attention locks in again. It kept pulling me back in like that.
I really like his style and how controlled everything sounds without feeling stiff. You can tell he knows exactly what he’s doing. The playing is professional and every note has a place. There’s a softness to the way he approaches the guitar, even when the tempo climbs a bit.
I’ve listened to some of his previous work before, so I can say that this masterpiece is one of his best works yet. It has that classic and gentle tone that just sits well. Listening to his music is like stepping into his head for a few minutes, following the way he hears things.
It’s calm but not sleepy, just steady enough to let you drift a little while still staying present with the music. I’ll be honest, this masterpiece held my full attention from start to finish, which doesn’t happen often with instrumental pieces. I’m definitely planning to keep up with what he releases next. This is one of those tracks that quietly sticks around.
