Throwing Snow – Mosaic

Artist Throwing Snow
Title Mosaic
Genre Bass, Techno, UK Garage
Label Houndstooth
Catalog# HTH 019CD
Released 2014
MP3 Download Source CD (LP)
Play Time 50:36 min
Total Tracks. 11
Bitrate 320 kbps

1. Throwing Snow – Avarice ( 3:09)
2. Throwing Snow Feat. Adda Kaleh – The Tempest ( 4:11)
3. Throwing Snow Feat. Kid A – Hypnotise ( 4:17)
4. Throwing Snow – Linguis ( 4:27)
5. Throwing Snow Feat. Py – As You Fall ( 3:09)
6. Throwing Snow – Pathfinder ( 4:25)
7. Throwing Snow Feat. Jassy Grez – The Void ( 4:50)
8. Throwing Snow Feat. Adda Kaleh – Maera ( 4:51)
9. Throwing Snow Feat. Russell Morgan – All The Lights ( 3:58)
10. Throwing Snow Feat. Knox – Draugr ( 6:03)
11. Throwing Snow – Saltare (Parts 1 & 2) ( 7:16)

Total Playtime: 50:36 min

The artist sought variety not only in the production and overall instrumental sound of his tracks, but also by changing the shape of his record by adding a multitude of vocalists who form a key part of Mosaic. Adda Kaleh appears again on the more introspective but nonetheless D&B tinged album cut ‘Maera’ while Kid A’s mesmerizing, haunting vocals grace the appropriately named ‘Hypnotise’. ‘The Void’ features rising UK talent Jassy Grez declaring “I don’t want forgiveness” to heart-trembling effect and Py’s pitched down tones meld with delicately building layers of feedback and murky beats on ‘As You Fall’.
And on a non-lyrical collaboration, save for some ghostly sighs, Tones’ fellow RMBA alumni, US duo KNOX, guest on the atmospheric ‘Draugr’ which evolves from sparse, icy chimes to a percussive maelstrom, its dying breath giving way to album closer ‘Saltare (Parts 1 & 2)’, the latter forming an uplifting melody-led conclusion to this evocative patchwork of sounds and atmospheres.
In as much as earlier EP Pathfinder was intended to be listened to on journeys, Mosaic is very much a continuation of this feeling, as the overall sound and feel matters more than the pinpointing of any one genre. As with Pathfinder, the titles on Mosaic are meant to reflect the music itself, as ‘The Tempest’ builds and roars into a stormy oblivion before ‘Linguis’ whirls with layers while also reflecting the Latin meaning for tongues or languages and nodding to Steve Reich’s evolving rhythmic patterns. The album also reflects an interest in mythology, from ‘Maera’ (Icarus’ hound in Greek myth) to ‘Draugr’ (‘the walking dead’ in Icelandic,) further indicating the full, rounded quality to Mosaic, an impressive debut from one of the UK’s most unique electronic artists.