Following the same path laid out by 2017's
Abysma, California electronic composer Will Wiesenfeld (aka
Geotic) delivers the spiritual follow-up one year later with the short but sweet
Traversa. Much like its predecessor,
Traversa is a transportive excursion into delicate digital soundscapes populated by soft dance beats, glossy atmosphere, and enveloping warmth, as if
Postal Service dove headlong into the ambient sphere. Wiesenfeld's whispered vocals float in and out of half the tracks, but otherwise
Traversa remains free-form and without much to tether it to earth. From the whimsical "Knapsack" -- which sounds like one of
Radiohead's electronic musings sprinkled with sugar -- to the calming, soothing "Aerostat,"
Traversa bubbles with a rhythmic heartbeat that extends all the way to "Maglev," the gorgeous closer that is elevated by Emily Call's violin. In the very best way,
Traversa is sumptuous background music that can brighten the mood or simply soothe the soul. ~ Neil Z. Yeung