Composing for a "movie-in-my-head" can seem a bit pompous by an artist unless handled with the utmost care. Quiet Village show restraint while masterfully moving the pieces along in true DJ mix fashion. Throughout their debut album "Silent Movie", songs never get too self-important nor do they wear out their welcome. Most movies only use a small section of a work from scene to scene and this same concept works for Silent Movie as sections of music rise and fall in the mix at a slow-motion pace.

1. Victoria's Secret
2. Circus of Horror
3. Free Rider
4. Too High to Move
5. Pacific Rhythm
6. Broken Promises
7. Pillow Talk
8. Can't Be Beat
9. Gold Rush
10. Singing Sand
11. Utopia
12. Keep On Rolling

Culling together bits and pieces from various sources to blend into a new work takes dedication and skill to the craft, and Quiet Village show they have both, along with a keen sense of where one song works best alongside the next. Another refreshing part of the release is how the album fits into the "chill" category without sounding electronic or forcefully downtempo.

The song titles read like scene selections on a dvd menu. "Victoria's Secret" starts things off with crashing waves and emotional string arrangements cascading as a heavenly voice hums in the background. A perfect song to wake up to. "Circus Of Horror" quickly moves the bpms up with an "I'm walking the grimy streets of NYC looking for the snitch" sort of blaxploitation vibe. "Free Rider" shifts back to the scene where the couple drinks coffee and talks about groovin' together with oohs and laid back beats rolling into the mix.

"Too High To Move" gives us an Arkestra One vibe with a gospel story on top of piano chords and more slow beats that progress into a 4/4 rhythm, and a nice piano solo caps off the mood. "Pacific Rhythm" mixes a gospel soul Hayes-ish vocal chant with a reggae groove layered on top that is so expertly done it makes you try to guess what part is from what and how did they make it work so well. The vocoder vocal finish is unexpected as well and surprisingly fits the song perfectly.

"Pillow Talk" takes on the 80's action movie love scene with requisite plodding drums and bass with that rockstar guitar line that inevitably steps in as the hero has to leave the girl and finish the job. "Can't Be Beat" keeps the 80's synths plugged in while a processed, dark vocal sample jumps at you and a string section adds some action to the straight-ahead rhythm.

"Gold Rush" gets heady with swirly effects on top of a tribal tom pattern and twangy guitar. "Singing Sand" sticks with the trippy vibe and anchors the song with a nice piano and deep synth drone.

"Keep On Rollin" finishes out the album with a shift back to the reggae soul vibe. It is a light affair that lets you know the hero and his girl, or conversely the heroine and her man, have saved the day. The bad guys are gone and drinks with umbrellas await them at a table overlooking the sun as it sets into the waves that gently caress the beach.

~ Dedric Moore

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