Balmorhea is an instrumental collaboration between Rob Lowe and Michael Muller. Together they create minimalist, cinematic music that combines modern, experimental acoustic sounds with classical qualities. Their second album, Rivers Arms, is conceptual in its instrumental development and, they say, "spans the seasons through the year and the respective travels through it."
The first cut, "San Solomon" is "an homage to the stark beauty" of a natural spring found in Lowe's hometown, Balmorhea, TX. The introduction alludes to Lowe's childhood with sounds of water splashing and children playing. A lamenting soundscape creates a stark beauty with a minimalist construction featuring violin, cello, piano, banjo and electric guitar.
Prior to meeting in 2006, Lowe and Muller had each written material they later collaborated on, along with some completely new songs. Their influences range from avant-garde classicists John Cage to experimental post rock like The Album Leaf. Balmorhea marries "popular" with "classical" while preserving what they call an "openness to past innovators in musical thought and composition."
The duo has an East Coast/Midwest tour with dates in late February and early March with Alex Dupree and The Trapdoor Band. They also hope to record new material later this year and try to pull together a European tour.
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