Released in the US last October, Compassion is the first album by Broadway Project, AKA Dan Berridge. Berridge, who until just a few years ago had never actually made music, has single-handedly created a complex and riveting collection of songs that are based on samples and beats of every kind imaginable. Despite the eclecticism of the sounds on Compassion, the songs are solid and often beautiful.
The influence of Berridge's background as a DJ is obvious in the layers of trippy beats found in most songs. The beats are not ordinary and are alive in their variety of sounds. In "Born Spirit," they are airy and soft; in "Femme Fatale," the beats echo and vibrate and are metallic. In "Plants and Leaves," they are complex but not overpowering—they float.
The samples on Compassion are the strangest combinations of sounds, but these combinations usually work to create dreamy, cinematic soundscapes or moments filled with emotion. One such combination is in "Quiet Revolution," when a folky guitar (among other sounds) is layered over a sample of a classical choir. In "Sea Of Change," there is a bongo drum sound mixed with jingling bells and a glassy xylophone. There are other sounds, including horns and guitar, and all these together are exotic and fresh.
Berridge integrates much classical music into the album through the samples. Strings are in many songs, as are flutes, and these instruments are either a solid part of the song, or they simply embellish it with dramatic flourishes, like in "For The One." There are too many other musical influences and sounds in this album to mention. Often, the music is intense, and at times very dramatic.
Although most of the samples are pleasant and interesting, things tend to get a little too busy on some songs. Usually, the abundance of samples is interesting—you could listen again and again and still discover new sounds. But on songs like "No Pain," "Life Of A Refugee," and "January," many sounds are too cacophonous for my taste, and the songs end up being grating and stressful because there is too much going on. The electric guitar solo and the accompanying noise in "No Pain" is particularly hard for me. But, I'm sure many other people would appreciate it.
There are many wonderful moments on this album, when music and other sounds you never would have thought could sound beautiful together actually do. This album is dramatic and compelling. There are layers and layers of beats and melodies to explore, if you are willing to listen.
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