The Staves & yMusic Build Enchanting Atmosphere In "The Way Is Read"

You can really feel the essence of a song in its movement. Many classical arrangements find their life in the way they flow, and you can feel how they breathe and run. The Staves & yMusic build enchanting atmosphere in The Way Is Read, creating an album with its own fairytale life.

There really is something magical to the sound of The Way Is Read. It opens with the sweet triple harmony of 'Hopeless,' opening the record on a rather soothing and beautiful note, introducing you to the visceral melodic nature of the record. 'Take Me Home' follows up with a more frantic orchestration, the yMusic sextet showing their prowess with rushed instrumental that illicit a hurried scene. 'Trouble On My Mind' follows through on a sweeter note, taking things back down to a calmer note after the active run.

The Way Is Read tells a story. It's almost like the sound of an older Disney film, transporting you to a magical world full of life and innocence. The crystalline nature of each track gives the whole album a very fragile and intricate vibe, making every note seem carefully chosen such that it won't shatter the glass. 'All My Life' is enchanting and really captures that fairytale atmosphere, while later on in the record, 'All The Times You Prayed' makes things gentle and sweet (and a fair bit personal, stepping away from the magical narrative). Not all is just calm and beauty, however; 'Appetite' has a certain tragedy to it that stands out as a darker note on the record.

The Staves & yMusic build enchanting atmosphere in The Way Is Read, transporting you to a fairytale world while creating crystalline and soothing symphonies. It's a wonderful collaboration that brings storytelling from both a lyrical standpoint and a sonic standpoint together.

Favorite Track: Appetite

Least Favorite Track: Bladed Stance

Rating: 70 / 100

Stream or buy The Way Is Read on Apple Music: