If records were priced according to emotional and atmospheric weight, Mathew Sawyer's Sleep Dreamt A Brother would be very expensive. Equally rich and mournful in tone, the themes dwell on death and the connection between life and death. The title refers to Greek mythology, in which Sleep and Death are brothers. Sawyer, a noted painter, created the cover art, which depicts Sleep dreaming his brother Death into being. Armed only with his voice, piano, acoustic guitar, some unworldly special effects and a few additional contributing instruments on certain tracks, Sawyer has created an expressive, layered and emotionally complex musical painting.
While wearing a certain fragility on their wispy sleeves, the songs still convey a palpable sense of bravery and vitality in the face of Death's smile. And for me, that is what makes this collection of songs a quiet gem that has become my evening album this month. I am not, by habit, a quiet music guy. But right now this album has me at its mercy.
Mathew Sawyer has released music with a band under the names Mathew Sawyer and the Ghosts and The Ghosts. Sleep Dreamt A Brother is a solo album, but Sawyer received contributions from Vasso Ana, Alison Cotton, Theo Hall, and Steve Dore.
Sleep Dreamt A Brother is out now on Fire Records.
Website
Soundcloud
Fire Records link for album
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