Spectral Evolution by Rafael Toral

What at first glance feels natural reveals itself as artificial, exhibiting an uncanny beauty beyond and above what we can find in the wilderness. Though a songbird adorns the cover of Spectral Evolution by Rafael Toral, the birdsong we hear on the album actually emanates from Toral’s homemade synthesizers, twittering and fluttering wildly against a slow, warm backdrop of jazz chords. These homemade instruments, notoriously difficult to wrangle and tune, lock in perfectly to such a complex harmonic environment, blending with heavenly guitar notes that drip in gracefully from above. Through his decades-long journey with avant garde guitar and electronic instrument design, Toral proves his expert craftsmanship in the construction of such an intricate, formidable, and unforgettable sonic cathedral, one that we lose ourselves in as we weave in and out of the wilderness, constantly being lulled into a stupor of natural ambiance and snapping awake to find ourselves amidst an intensely human creation. Where these two worlds meet, a unique sort of creativity slides into focus, one that finds us at our most in tune with the world that sustains us.