yellow6 – Silent Streets and Empty Skies
Yellow 6 – Silent Streets and Empty Skies
Yellow6 is the project of Leicestershire based Jon Attwood. Across two decades Jon has established himself as one of the foremost purveyors in the ambient/post-rock scene. I first encountered Yellow6 on the Resonant and Make Mine Music labels. He specialises in the guitar and, much like Robin Guthrie, began musical life as a punk before slowing down to really explore the sound of his instrument. Jons playing style is fairly described as minimal and his compositions ambient but his guitars are typically swathed by beautiful effects. Silent Streets And Empty Skies is very much a product of the Covid-19 lockdown. Confinement can actually be a wonderful opportunity for creatives just as long as you are moved to express something. Attwood was. Being in a nearby village to a large city Jon noted the lack of people, traffic and even vapour trails in the skies above. Buying a new guitar, Attwood set about writing and capturing the new material that forms this album. Silent Streets And Empty Skies is comprised of nine peaceful and comforting compositions. Is it a radical departure for Yellow6? No. Familiar Y6 tropes remain present and correct – elongated track lengths, looped ambience and contemplative drones abound. It does feel fresh though. Attwood seems almost renewed by this bizarre year we are in. Most importantly of all Silent Streets And Empty Skies feels relevant. At times beatless, the albums melodies are subtle and refined and its spaciousness allows room for the most inward looking of listeners. After all, what is ‘lockdown’ if not an enforced introspection and re-evaluation. No re-evaluation needed for Yellow6 though. Silent Streets And Empty Skies is yet another top notch entry to the back catalogue. I think this might actually be one of my favourites.
Silent Streets And Empty Skies is out now and comes in two distinct limited editions. Both have that loving, Sound In Silence, packaging. One contains a bonus disc of six additional pieces inspired by the events of the summer.