Jeff Mettlewsky (Duolant) and Chris Rorrer’s new single Unwavering is a futuristic, cinematic piece of music capable of teasing out ideas from the complex, unexplored folds of the brain.
By Katie Stewart
Its unique blend of synth, electronic beats and cello creates a soundscape that feels both reverberative and deeply reflective.
Mettlewsky’s robotic synthesiser brings a sense of structure and repetitiveness that’s strangely reassuring; grounding the piece in simplicity; calmly pulsing forward. More layered, unpredictable synth elements slip through the cracks, building from this foundation, seasoning the track, intertwining with Rorrer’s more melodic, sombre, classical elements. His cello creates a chasmic echo effect that forces listeners to sit with the music and explore it, spreading their focus across the ever-changing details of the soundscape.
According to the duo, Rorrer seeks to foster healing through his playing, and that intention is clear in his dulcet chords and rhythm – technical, moving, and emotionally charged – as well as in his more staccato, whispered, cry-like phrases that go hand in hand with the synth in an unlikely but deeply satisfying blend.
Unwavering conjures images full of movement, life and momentum, yet its steady tempo, methodical melodies and melancholic cello reflect something more human: stillness, emotional honesty, and acceptance. The humanity achieved here is refreshing, especially against the backdrop of its mechanical meter.
Unwavering is out now and you can give it a listen below.
Supported by Musosoup #SustainableCurator