Quicksails

Ben Billington is a Chicago staple and multi-instrumentalist crucial to the metro area experimental landscape. He can morph his styles seamlessly and is fluent in many musical languages, whether he's playing in Moonrises, Circuit De Yeux (as a touring drummer), or in the legendary underground free-jazz unit Tiger Hatchery. Mayville is the sophomore LP following his Silver Balloons in Clusters LP on Under The Spire (while originally released as a cassette on Deception Island some time ago.) With Mayville Dream, it's all Billington and the results are outstanding. Taking from his knowledge of songcraft, Billington has crafted a well-varied album of instrumental suites that are as eclectic as they are eccentric. Being primarily trained as a drummer, various kinds of percussion appear throughout, with many rhythmic angles that accent the intricate melodies and structures to make them truly unique. The opener "The Many Roads to Mayville" opens with a concrete flutter before doing a complete 180 into a total color storm of melody and syncopated percussion. "Institute's Innards" flips the mood right away with its deep urgency and melodies that demand introspection. Tracks like "Bemus Has Wings to Fly" and "Closer to Towanda" display an ability to thickly layer pieces and parts to make a logical whole while displaying elements of early psychedelic rock and with the knowledge of early private sides in tow. Mayville Dream has a special impact because you hear Billington stretch himself out over every playing style he knows and beyond to create something that's all his own.