I’ve been to Edinburgh. I’ve been to Edinburgh many times and, barring the castle, it has little going in its favour. It is not without reason that people say the only good thing about Edinburgh is the train that gets you out of there. Anyway, it was therefore with some surprise that I could find something akin to spiritual enhancement in “Mosaic” by Edinburgh’s own Michael Steele.
Something that is much in this album’s favour is Michael Steele’s somewhat esoteric stance on making songs accessible. These ten songs are hardly commercial in terms of radio playability but that is most likely never his true intent. So, perhaps this is more of a personal statement then? That seems likely as he takes tempo changes and use them as weapons to intrigue even the most fatigued of ears whilst his secret squirrel message permeates what is left of your brain. These songs could even be on the soundtrack of that independent movie that only your pal with the unfortunate beard that often features the dried remnants of a soya cappuccino has ever seen. What of his words, I hear you say? There are indeed words but they are more often emoted than sung with the meaning often deliberately obscured by the cavalier use of reverb. I would almost say that this journey into the esoteric was in danger of taking a left turn into free form jazz – and “Efforts” could be used as proof of that – yet, as if to demonstrate Michael’s Steele’s rather oblique approach to everything, the ghost of chanson was then used to haunt “Ne Pour Rever” and the spectre of arthouse synth pop to inhabit “A Kiss Split From The Atom”. All this and more in the good fight for the attention of your ears.
There is certainly a case for accusing “Mosaic” of the kind of pretentiousness that makes you dream of becoming an axe murderer yet there is also a message in the middle of the bottom to be found if your ears are attuned towards the adventurous. Or, as those fond of the short version of everything might say, “Mosaic” is rather interesting.