Arden Gonta feels guilty. Why do I know this? Well, because her Bandcamp artist bio claims that she is (perpetually?) “washing [her] hands like frickin Lady Macbeth.” While I am by no means a scholar (ahem, I think the song was called “Lady Madonna”), I did use the trusty power of the old Google-matic to figure out the complexities of Gonta’s mysterious artist bio. Yessiree, the Googlious search did upon therefore art thou curse thine wares by way of know’ledge of Macbeth, Lady. Have I fucking lost it? Well, duh. Gonta is so good that I’ve just about gone mad.
“Little Rectangle,” her latest single that runs just under two minutes, effectively paints a brisk atmosphere with a minimal, yet slightly dressed up approach (salad, but with a tangy vinaigrette). Beginning with sole guitar and vocals, midway through Gonta introduces two harmonized vocal tracks a la the call of a siren. It’s truly amazing that this minimal arrangement conjures up the vivid atmosphere that it does: pastoral, soft, soothing, and artful. Gonta’s guitar is a picturesque wheat field ‘neath the bluest sky, and her vocals sound like a confidently light breeze blowing through the grass. Her effortless troubadouring takes me to grassy painted backdrops in something like Spirited Away. Hearing this, I crave for it to be featured in something else… an independent student film, an art installation… something where the song’s strengths shine to inject beautiful ambience and aura.
According to Gonta’s Facebook, “Little Rectangle” is the first in a trilogy of new music she’s releasing. A short snippet of another track hints at what’s to come (similar allure, but with percussion). After hearing what she describes as her first post-high school composition foray into composition, I am stoked and starving — ready for my next bout of madness.
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8
Instrumentation
7.0/10
Textures
8.0/10
Atmosphere
9.0/10