Delvian Records
2003
Rise To The Sun
About This Album
If your introduction to Kyle Swager was Into the Blue or The Other Side of Words, chances are that you associate the producer/composer with instrumental electronica that is rock-influenced and falls into the ambient category. But Rise to the Sun, for the most part, isn't electronica -- and it is more than merely rock-influenced. Unlike Into the Blue and The Other Side of Words, Rise to the Sun is actually a rock-oriented vocal album. In fact, Swager sings more often than not on this disc, providing all of the lead and background vocals. And the interesting thing is that many of the adjectives that describe his instrumental projects -- reflective, pensive, among others -- easily describe the singer/songwriter aesthetic that he brings to this CD, which was recorded in 2000 and 2001 and reissued by Delvian in 2003. Further, the influences that one hears on his ambient electronica recordings are also evident on Rise to the Sun -- influences that include, among others, Dead Can Dance, Pink Floyd, and Peter Gabriel. As a vocalist, Swager isn't in a class with Gabriel; Rise to the Sun isn't the work of a stunning, mind-blowing singer, but it is the work of a capable and sincere (if limited) one who gets his points across. It should be noted that Swager functions as a one-man band on this CD; in addition to playing guitar (often the instrument of choice for singer/songwriters), he plays bass, keyboards, drums, and percussion and brings all of the instruments together thanks to overdubbing. Rise to the Sun isn't Swager's best or most essential release, but it's a decent effort that offers some surprises to those who think of him as an electronica-oriented instrumentalist. ~ Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
Track List (try tracks 1,2,5,8 and 10)

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