There?s something to be said for music that seems to create itself out of the ether, music that cascades from the speakers and eases you into a blissful trance. The music on ?A Way Now? is indeed the sort that lulls you and reels you into its world of soothing guitars and violin drones. Harlassen is one of many names under which Richard Skelton has released his mystifying brand of sonic poetry. Through his Sustain-Release imprint, Skelton has also let loose such weird and wonderful beasts as Heidika and Carousell, both attributed to himself.

As Harlassen, Skelton takes on the role of the hypnotist, weaving organic pools of sound that belie a complexity hidden within many layers. The titles of the two tracks found on this release seem to evoke movement. The music picks up the theme, as Skelton sculpts the malleable sonic gruel he?s created into shape-shifting compositions. ?What the River Said? begins quietly, with a beautiful acoustic guitar line overtop a violin drone. The intensity builds, as bricklayer Skelton builds a wall of shimmering reverberation. ?An Eddy of the Blood? continues where ?River? left off, with a simple yet powerful piano sample providing a backbone for the rest of the sound to attach itself.

Packaged in a handsome canvas sleeve, ?A Way Now? is a perfectly encapsulated pacification device. The music is engaging enough to captivate our attention, yet hypnotic enough to soothe the savage beast in all of us. Highly recommended! 9/10 -- Bryon Hayes (17 July, 2006)