The World of Steven R. Smith

If you never heard of Steven R. Smith, you are in for an aural experience. Steven R. Smith has been releasing records since the mid 90's as solo works and under various guises such as Mirza, Thuja, and Hala Strana. Steven R. Smith is a member of the Jewelled Antler Collective that includes bands like The Skygreen Leopards and The Blithe Sons, whose members often appear in each others projects. Steven R. Smith specializes in generally acoustic ambient music with wisps of psychedelic influences. I especially like his work on his solo album Autumn is the End a brilliant record. Mirza is a collaboration with Glenn Donaldson, which he continued with the band Thuja. Thuja's music could be described as ambient improvisation; I suppose one could call it ambient jazz. In addition Steven R. Smith has worked on the Hala Strana project which uses Central and Eastern European folk melodies as a basis for his compositions, an ambient Bartok for the 21st century. Below is a sampling of the available recordings on Rhapsody. I hope we will see more of his excellent work soon. Click here to listen.

1. Redivivus - Steven R. Smith
2. Untitled 3 - Thuja
3. Iron Compass Flux - Mirza
4. The Great Season - Hala Strana
5. The Carved Yoke - Hala Strana
6. Bless this Gathering - Mirza
7. Feeding the serpent from a Cup - Mirza
8. Dream of the Fossil Sea - Mirza
9. Untitled 1 - Thuja
10. Held in Ambit - Steven R. Smith