Helios (US)

Some people are natural born musicians, seemingly unable to feel content doing anything uninvolved in the music scene. Keith Kenniff (aka Helios aka Goldmund) is one of those people.

Both he and his brother were taught to play guitar, bass and drums when they were very young by their father (another musician) and before too long Keith had decided that he wished to pursue drumming that little bit further. He played in a variety of touring bands, from rock to jazz to classical and took influence from each situation, learning from the successes and inevitable failures. Throughout this time Keith was deducing exactly what he did and didn’t like about music, and was inevitably drawn to studying percussion at Boston’s prestigious Berklee College of Music. Aside from this he took a keen interest in film, taking time out from the music and study whenever he could to widen his knowledge of independent and world cinema and film music.

Through these two key interests Keith developed a deep sense and understanding of space and restraint, which play key roles in his musical projects. His main solo musical venture is under the alias ‘Helios’. This project takes in many of his skills; his keen sense of percussion, his delicate touch on the guitar, his measured and spacious songwriting and also his electronic production methods which he has taught himself.

Over the past five years, Keith’s style has evolved constantly, with his drifting piano compositions taking the Goldmund label and the Helios sound moving out from undreneath the clipped beat-heavy electronics of ‘Unomia’ and into a more unique place, even incorporating vocals on the ‘Ayres’ mini album. ‘Caesura’ however is his ‘proper’ follow-up to the acclaimed ‘Eingya’, and sees Keith return to the instrumental sound he knows so well. In fact in many ways ‘Caesura’ is a more electronic work than its predecessors, blending layer upon layer of synthesizer and adding his assured drumming to come up with the perfect meeting of indie-pop and ambient music. The haunting cinematic element is still present of course, but these songs are more rounded and confident than any in Keith’s career.

From the delicate bliss of ‘Hope Valley Hill’ which opens up the album with gauzy nostalgia and, as the title promised, hope, through the chunky pop of ‘Come With Nothings’ it is clear that Keith’s music is as arresting as it ever was. Taking cues from the lilting indie-electronics of Ulrich Schnauss and the unfussy ambience of Brian Eno, Keith manages to inject this with his knowledge as a composer. The epic harmonies of ‘Backlight’ for instance reveal a lightness of touch rarely heard in the genre with sweeping synthesized chords buzzing alongside Keith’s signature guitar.

Accompanied by more gorgeous artwork from Matthew Woodson, ‘Caesura’ is a glowing record for the winter months, and a glimmer of hope to keep the seasons at bay.

Incidentally, he’s doing a show in New York next month, together with his label mate Peter Broderick (who also plays with Danish band Efterklang) and Balmorhea (US)…those of you that can go, most definately should. For further information see his myspace profile.

Helios – ‘Dragonfly Across An Ancient Sky’