Trace opens hot, smoldering, with a subterranean low end and a hiss that envelopes the listener immediately in atmosphere as the introduction track by Helen Money and Will Thomas contextualizes what’s to come. “Someone Out There” begs to return in some fashion. It never does.
Helen Money, the moniker of Alison Chesley, has been active for nearly three decades. She has toured and played with countless bands and solo performers including Neurosis, Bob Mould, and Steve Albini. Will Thomas is an accomplished composer currently working on movies and TV shows. They come together here to make a cohesive collaborative album.
“Thieves” is defined by its constantly moving electronics and panned beats. It is also short, changing the vibe of the record instantly. The cello merely graces across the increasingly loud electronics. But when “Half Asleep” begins, there is nothing more beautiful. The soft piano keys keep the rhythm while Helen Money’s cello weeps over it. It is layered by loops and overdubs. It pulls achingly at the heartstrings. If the track never ended, that would be okay.
The track “Boulevard in Silence” is reminiscent of Thomas’ score work. With wandering, ebbing momentum, the entire song is covered by some deranged cello parts that begin to sound like a human vocal. Each time another element comes in, the rest of the track is drenched in it. The beat comes and goes. It ebbs and flows thoughtfully, introspectively, perfectly evoking the theme of solitude on an empty street. There are even some metallic industrial sounds that are like street workers shoveling concrete.
Trace | Helen Money/Will Thomas | Helen Money (bandcamp.com)
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Helen Money’s cello work is on full display in “Abandon.” It begins with only a single cello before layering over her on sounds with harmonies. Only subtle synthesizer blends in with the cello arrangement. It is an altogether simple and gorgeous take. Like many of the songs on this album, it leaves without saying goodbye.
The record’s title track is expansive and intricate. Again, syncopated beats are overtaken by growling low subs, cello accents, and a melody. The sounds swirl around you like a vortex. Immersed in the piece, the listener questions where it will go. When quiet keys are added, the piece is full but what now?
The song just drops to the low-end swell of “She Never Suspected.” The swell gets louder and louder, more rhythmic, and the mid-range appears. The sound gets louder and louder as the cello phrase stays constant. Then, new layers of crossing, biting cello swing back on forth.
“Tilt” slides into pure madness. At first, it feels like the pulsing synths and grumbled feedback are random, but it doesn’t take long for patterns to emerge. Before the track picks up, it takes you to the abyss with distorted cello that sounds like guitar and a sub-octave of the electronics. The industrial beat in the back half of the track thrills and satisfies. It comes and goes, but it could go on forever.
It’s unclear if there was a lot of editing done in this process or the duo wanted to keep the tracks exceedingly simple, but the brevity of this album is one of its weaker points. Some of these tracks could take the listener on a longer journey. They don’t intersect—they don’t need to—but each track could force the listener to sit inside the madness.
When it comes to the penultimate “Glass Shattered,” the electronics and cello are intertwined. It’s tough to tell them apart until the cello begins to layer the open space of the swelling synthesizers. On the final cut, “The Wheel” begins with the cello starting the rhythm.
Trace sounds good all around. It is an interesting record with atmosphere and a unique vision, although this vision seems to fall a little short. The eleven tracks are like glimpses of longer, more challenging tracks. With these composers being active in the experimental and underground scenes, it seems like they kept the tracks accessible for a wider audience. This audience member, at least, wants them to go further—deeper into the abyss.
