Field Report Vol. II: Reed Canyon (Instrumental) Album

As founder of HUSH Records, Portland, Or. composer/producer Chad Crouch has shifted his ear from the local club scene to the local wetlands.  Walks through Oaks Bottom and Reed Canyon in Portland’s inner east side transformed Crouch’s ive interest in birds into a full-blown intrigue.  An untrained musician, Crouch let his unvarnished field recordings exist as a canvas for his minimal compositions for piano, flute, clarinet, tuned percussion, and the occasional synthesizer.  Crouch listened for pitch and mood cues that came from the field recordings, then sparsely and melodically organized the instrument voices to let the birdsong filter through,  ideally complimenting it.  The result is both accessible and immersive.  It’s a window into Crouch’s personal world, where the mood is relaxed and open to moments of wonder.