David Mulero – Céleste

David Mulero – Céleste – EP Review

I’ve got no problem at all listening to the kind of music that David Mulero plays.  He comes equipped with a wide variety of influences…traditional Classical, Jazz, French tunes & film songs, and it genuinely sounds like you can hear a little of each in the hybrid compositions he’s put into his Céleste EP.  While I have a clear favorite of the two songs in its lineup, and I’ll explain why in a second here, I do think that the work he’s put in overall speaks volumes on behalf of his creativity & highly expressive musicianship.

I feel like “Céleste” is an excellent representation of the man’s sense of style in music.  It’s got it all really – mystery, beauty, serenity, melody, drama…it’s all present and accounted for as you work your way through this nearly six-minute long original composition.  Mulero’s natural sense of timing and his use of space is impeccable – “Céleste” is the kind of song that’ll have you paying attention to every ticking second of it, because he’s truly tapped into a special mix of alluring & exquisite sound that continually draws us in.  Obviously there’s tremendous technique applied to a song like this, but what I think I might like even more is that you can really hear the innovation in what David creates as well.  To me, that’s the really crucial element in terms of what will continue to keep himself invested and interested in the craft – he’s found a way to be unique on an instrument that has been played by countless numbers before him, and if he can continue to find innovative ways to write melodies like “Céleste” that keep our hearts, minds, and imaginations engaged, then I feel like Mulero is in great shape for the future ahead.  For better or worse, I’m always going to recommend doing the best you can to blaze your own trail with whatever it is you’ve chosen to play, and in that respect, I’m immensely satisfied with what I hear in David’s music.  I’m not going so far as to say he’s recreating the wheel here, but he’s done an excellent job of combining styles in a hybrid design that people will not only appreciate, they’ll genuinely connect with.  I’m the son of a piano player/keyboardist if that matters to any of ya out there reading…I’ve spent so many hours of my life listening to this instrument that I feel like I’ve got a real understanding of the difference between the good and the great.  David’s got greatness in him, and it’s tracks like “Céleste” that confirm it.  This whole melody morphs & shapeshifts with brilliant fluidity, and transitions in a very seamless way, which in itself is impressive when you consider all the multiple stylistic layers it includes.

“Lune d’argent” becomes the trickier one to examine up close under the microscope in a critical context, because I do really like the ideas and melody that drives this song.  Heck, even the technique he applies is still more than commendable when it comes right down to it – David plays with a stunning range of emotions in his music that always come shining through the speakers in a variety of ways.  So…to be entirely honest with you, I’m not 100% sure what precisely leads to my slight criticisms here when it comes to the end product we’re listening to.  It could still be a possible glitch in his technique – I can’t quite rule that out altogether – but I suspect it’s more of an issue with the methods of recording.  I’ll put it to ya this way…you really can’t help but notice the difference in between how much cleaner “Céleste” comes out, especially with the two tracks appearing side by side on the same record.  What I do like, is that it’s crystal clear that David is playing on a real piano and not just a midi keyboard or something digital…there’s real soul in the keys, and we can hear that.  Where it becomes a little problematic is in trying to get the clarity you want in the analog piano sound without carrying too much of the weight being put into the keys along with it, which is where “Lune d’argent” can be noticeably hindered at points.  The first time I heard it, I immediately noticed the extra weight in the keys and the hammering that tends to occur when they’re being pushed in the heat of passion, and it seemed so pronounced that I wondered why I hadn’t noticed it before when listening to the opening track.  So I went back and listened to “Céleste” again, and that’s when I realized I didn’t notice it before because it simply wasn’t as much of a factor…you can barely hear it happening in the EP’s title track by comparison.  It’s not a complete and total deal breaker – far from it, I think he’s got great stuff happening and an authentically enchanting sound working in his favor throughout “Lune d’argent” – but I suppose it’s also fair to say that those heavy hits on the keys and the resonant pound can be a little distracting for some.  The fact remains, that the ideas involved in a melody and the stunning, spellbinding depths it has are well worth your time to listen to, but “Lune d’argent” also reveals there’s still room for David to evolve within his craft as well.  As I like to remind y’all from time to time, that’s something all of us should always want.

Find out more about David Mulero at his official website at:  https://davidmulero.wixsite.com/my-site

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