A beautiful track driven by the warming tones of Martin Lloyd Howard‘s 50-year-old classical guitar, “Unanswered” combines impressive musicianship with an approachably melodic delivery. The caressing nylon strings convey a lushly absorbing charm, while slight shifts in tone and pace propel a structural journey that finds an ideal balance between familiar and unpredictable. The Reigate, England-based Howard was originally trained in the classical tradition, and over the years has grown his repertoire into realms of rock, blues, and folk.

A balmy trickling of guitar opens the track, serenely inviting in its mellow unveiling. A soothing sense of mystique slowly grows thereafter, as additional guitar layers impress in their delicate cohesion; the soundscape reminds of an acoustic version of Joe Hisaishi’s heart-tugging compositions. The final minute then progresses with a spacious, minimalist allure — then dreamily enchanting around 02:09, as the pleasant chords engage with a pulsing-like impact into the sating finality of the track’s conclusion.

This standout instrumental piece showcases Howard’s diverse background through its elegant structure and warm sonic texture, blending skilled performance with an evocative, gentle atmosphere. It moves from a peaceful opening to a layered core, concluding with a hypnotic, satisfying resolution in that tranquilly absorbing vein. “Unanswered” is a definitive success.

—

The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Folk.

We discovered this release via MusoSoup.

The post Martin Lloyd Howard – “Unanswered” appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.