A good number of musicians take on side projects, allowing them to hone their individual style away from the established sound of their “main” project. Jacob Montague may be a member of Branches and Achilles and the Tortoise, but this review is for his personal, self-titled project. This seven-track release, Fly On, is fully instrumental and could be classified as electronic-folk, a unique genre that he crafts effortlessly.

Fly On begins with one of my favourite tracks, “Lambent”, a piece that meshes together the sounds of a banjo, a typewriter, Legos being slammed together, and a catchy synth beat. It’s a strikingly animated tune and the perfect introduction to Montague’s style. The overall vibe takes a turn, though, with the next track “Me Is All I Am”, which is primarily piano based with the accompaniment of pulsing digital sounds. “Wander Waltz” is another favourite of mine. A very rhythmic song full of subtle glock-tapping and banjo-picking, it feels as though it was written specifically for the soundtrack of my life. The album closes out with the beautiful, piano-heavy track, ironically named “This Is Not A Piano”.

Banjo, piano and electronic keyboard may be the main instrumentation utilized throughout the release, but Fly On incorporates a wide range of percussion and even some unrecognizable odds and ends as well. Soundscapes tiptoe the line between melancholy and cheerful as each song flows into the next, changing up the tone but remaining cohesive to the atmosphere of the album as a collective piece of work.

Stumbling upon this little gem was a blessing, as I have a pretty difficult time finding instrumental albums that really speak to me. The best part is, you can download the album in its entirety for free on the Jacob Montague BandCamp page.