- Petrol, the third full-length by Brian Allen Simon (AKA Anenon), is a 40-minute homage to the artist's hometown of Los Angeles. It's concerned with the "beauty of distance," the contrast of LA's urban sprawl and intimate pockets of personal space. These nine freeform meditations brim with emotion and detail, comprising a deeply personal and accomplished album.
Real-world sounds and acoustic instruments have been central to Simon's past work, and even more so on Petrol. Improvised recording sessions are the foundation of Petrol. Featuring Simon on saxophone and collaborators on violin, clarinet and drums, these sessions were rearranged, expanded and processed to varying degrees. As the noise of passing motorists starts to resemble claps of thunder on "Body," airy chords float in a stream of woodwinds and manipulated pads. Simon incorporates swelling strings into tracks like "Lumina" and "Machines," while clattering rhythms drive the unhinged "CXMP" and standout "Once." Where the acoustic recordings end and the electronics begin is often unclear. The decay of a saxophone or a barrage of cymbal hits might evoke a physical space, but the way Simon layers and alters his sounds adds unexpected dimensions.
Texture and pacing are at the heart of Petrol's appeal. "Body" eases into the album's wide scope, and then "Lumina" expands things further, as lush melodies stretch into swirling strings and far-off drums. The erratic rush of "Once" and "CXMP" is offset by the layers of organ-like arpeggios in "Mouth." Towards the end, beatless pieces ("Hinoki," "Panes") balance out the choppy rhythms of "Machines" and the closing title track. The album's dynamic push and pull builds a strong narrative, traveling across emotional arcs and into moments of self-reflection.
Petrol is about how the geography of Los Angeles has affected Simon as an artist. He believes that a true Angeleno is "one who understands the beauty of distance and the consistencies of irregularity," and that sentiment can be felt here. From the swaths of elongated pads to the bursts of percussive chaos, Simon taps into both the spaces of momentary calm and the frenzied metropolis he calls home. Petrol finds the artist coming into his own, interpreting his life experience into sublime electro-acoustic music.
Tracklist01. Body
02. Lumina
03. Once
04. CXP
05. Mouth
06. Hinoki
07. Machines
08. Panes
09. Petrol