Musician: Les Brown: Guitars, bass guitar, drums, synthesizers, samplers and effects

Album: The Next One; Release: June 28, 2024; Producer: Brown

The most daring and versatile artists are those who aren’t afraid to push themselves out of their original niche to experiment within variously distinct genres. Multi-instrumentalist-composer-producer Les Brown is one such musician who effortlessly explores as many categories as possible on his latest experimental/ambient/instrumental/psychedelic rock album, ‘The Next One.’

The Edinboro, Pennsylvania-based artist, who draws inspiration from such fellow experimental rock acts as Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream and Pink Floyd, proves his mastery of blending moods and textures on his 11-track sophomore record. The LP serves as the successor to his first full-length album, ‘The First One,’ which was released in 2022, and will be followed by the final entry in the similarly-themed record trilogy.

Like on his initial LP, Brown crafted songs that capture the sound and feeling of being in a new, unfamiliar and even mysterious place. ‘The Next One’ continues his journey of discovering, and connecting with, his environments and the people in his life on the paths he’s embarking on. While some voyages are fun and exhilarating, others are emotional, insightful and life-affirming.

‘The Next One’ begins with the distinctively diverse entry, ‘Picycle,’ which immediately sets the tone for the album’s eclectic nature. The track introduces Brown’s eccentric nature with an ominous, ambient drone that’s layered with pulsating synths and eccentric, offbeat percussive groove. The funk, ambient and and progressive rock beats also fuse together to create a dynamic blend of tension and ominous intrigue in its blend of instrumentation, particularly the guitars, drums and effects.

Following ‘Picycle,’ the album transitions into its sophomore tune, ‘Jungle Night,’ which is driven by the swirling, hypnotic atmosphere of layered synthesizers. The song then introduces enthralling percussive elements gradually infiltrating the space, which helps create an atmosphere of a mysterious nocturnal adventure in the ambient soundscapes of a forest. The ambient, jazz-laced ttrack is an avant-garde masterpiece that soars on its dark and mysterious nature.

Another noteworthy entry on the record is its sixth track, ‘Brain Goes For Walk.’ The piece is a meditative journey that thrives on its minimalistic melodies that gently evolve over time. The serene, soulful pop-rock tune is a sonic masterpiece that emphasizes Brown’s thoughtful, intuitive nature.

‘The Next One’ begins to wind down with its carefree, experimental rock penultimate track, ‘Yeehaw!’ The song is notably driven by its fun, upbeat rhythm and energetic delivery. It’s also infused by a joyful blend of Eddie Van Halen-inspired guitar riffs and hints of pulsating drum beats and bass. With that intriguing blend of instrumentation, the musician proves that he appreciates embracing the fun in his life just as much as the serious emotions and lessons.

‘The Next Thing’ comes to a triumphant end with its final track, ‘One More Thing,’ which brings a sense of closure to Brown’s musical journey. The tune is a slow, methodical examination into the journey that the instrumentalist embarked on his 10 previous songs through ambient, progressive rock environment. He embarked on one last introspective examination into the various musical genres that have inspired his life-affirming journey.

Throughout his soul bearing, vulnerable sophomore LP, Brown once again proved what a daring and versatile artist he is as he experiments within distinctly various genres. Like on his first album, the artist crafted tracks that capture the sound and feeling of being in a new, unfamiliar and even mysterious place.

‘The Next One’ continues his journey of discovering, and connecting with, his environments and the people in his life on the paths he’s embarking on. The musician’s second record proves that while some voyages are fun and exhilarating, others are emotional, insightful and life-affirming.

For more information on Brown, visit his Official Website, as well as his Spotify, Bandcamp, Soundcloud and YouTube pages.