Duncan Park

Leaning into the lo-fi world, Gallows is a great representation of Duncan’s expertise in playing, composition, variety, and open mindedness. The LP begins with the epic A Moon Possessed Corpse, which starts with the classic handheld cassette handling racket, setting up the tone of the release, before sliding right into Duncan’s frenetic fingering and pull-offs, like he’s desperately trying to document something before heading off on a one-way trip, all while his dog moans in the background, knowing what’s in store.

In much the same way countless people have captured themselves on cassette, Duncan documents his mindset on to tape, with tracks like Talking and Tuning, setting the recording in a particular time and place, while he tunes and warms up, getting ready for the rising waters that are coming next.

Flood Warning sees him picking up the banjo, staying in the American Primitive world, before heading into a more classical guitar jaunt with the aptly titled Allegro Op. 50, No. 13. With Leaving Beeston Blues, Duncan gets back to the slower paced primitive guitar work, with some swelling background keyboard work. Thistle On the South Coast is a short ditty on flute, with feelings and imagery of coastlines, either here or there. Waltz No. 1 returns to the more classical realm, before eventually settling back into the raag stylings of Weaver’s Nest, which ends with over a minute of the sounds of insects, a wind chime, and the return of the dog, letting the listen catch their breath before turning the record over to start it all over again.