Une harpe sous les étoiles

Stephanie Bernard, harp. Self-released, 2021.

Also of note this month are two albums of original music, Marcia Dickstein’s Road Dog, thesequel to her popular digital release of Chill Dog, “calming music for your pets,” and Stephanie Bernard’s atmospheric Une harpe sous les étolies. Bernard draws on ambiance and atmosphere to emphasize the expansive and otherworldly quality of her release. In L’île des brumes (Isle of Mists) a cello underscores the line, its timbre propelling the mystery. With a nod to Erik Satie, she also explores the soporific effects of a slow walking tempo and looped motives enhancing wordless vocalizations. 

Road

Marcia Dickstein, harp. Self-released, 2021.

As part of Pupsnap Music, Dickstein combines acoustic harp with computer-generated sounds to create a “vibe” that’s more pure sound than musical idea. That being said, each piece is crafted with serenity and focus in mind, and is not just meant for our furry friends, but for us “dogs at heart.” Favorites include the gently driving groove of City Lights, the exploratory mystery of On Our Way, and the unadulterated happiness of Which Way Up. Two paws up! •