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Without wishing to generalise, reviewers prefer covering debut albums. Introducing a fresh artist\u2019s music to a new group of potential followers provides a mild fillip for the writer who can say that they have been on board from the start. More importantly, the coverage is beneficial for the musician, particularly in a crowded field where it is easy to be overlooked. There\u2019s a lot of music released and a debut release from an unfamiliar name on a low-profile label needs a boost \u2013 so we do what we can. The artist gets a positive review, and the writer feels like they have helped in a small way.<\/p>\n
The other reason we like debut albums is that we don\u2019t have to research seventeen previous albums by an artist to have something to compare it to. Obviously, we\u2019re not obliged to delve into back catalogues \u2013 sometimes it\u2019s good to let the music stand on its own merits \u2013 but it often helps. There\u2019s no such issue with Emery Dobyns<\/strong> and his debut because he only has 125 credits on Discogs. Wait\u2026 what?<\/p>\n Improvs<\/em> is Dobyns\u2019 first album, but he\u2019s racked up over two decades on the other side of the mixing desk, producing and engineering for multiple artists from Mary J Blige, through Noah And The Whale to Better Than Ezra. So far, so mainstream. But then he\u2019s also mixed Battles, Antony And The Johnsons and more recently Hammock. It\u2019s the latter connection that has led to Dobyns\u2019 debut appearing on Hammock\u2019s record label \u2013 and they provide a remix of \u201cOf Promises\u201d to close out the album.<\/p>\n As the name suggests, this is an album that grew out of improvisations; Dobyns challenged himself to write and record a piece of music every day in January 2022. Given his background, it\u2019s no surprise that the result sounds great; these aren\u2019t just sketches but fully realised works with full-sounding arrangements. The tracks are brief glimpses into whatever he was feeling that day, communicating directly to the keyboard and then given a lush arrangement with whatever tools he had available. There\u2019s a palpable feeling of icy crystals, frozen branches and a low midwinter sun in many of the tracks, I suspect stemming from the time of year the pieces were made. That\u2019s balanced by some of the warmer tracks that feel inspired by family life; given the self-imposed constraints on making Improvs<\/em> then it makes sense for Dobyns to draw on the environment and people around him.<\/p>\n Dobyns recorded 31 tracks in January, around half of which made it onto the album; it\u2019s a strong and cohesive selection that flows beautifully from start to finish. There\u2019s a lightness in the music, a sense of joy in the creation that is present throughout. The field recordings used in \u201cWoodswalk\u201d, the rolling piano of \u201cRotors\u201d and the telephonic pulse of \u201cOn Hold For A Day\u201d may give us highlights, as do the original and remixed versions of \u201cOf Promises\u201d, but it\u2019s not really a record that you\u2019d want to pick and choose tracks. It took Emery Dobyns twenty years in the music industry to record his debut album and over 3 years after that to unveil it to the public; this is not music to rush. (Jeremy Bye)<\/strong><\/p>\n