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**Daniel Rossen - Silent Hour/Golden Mile**
★★★★☆

After years of patient waiting, Daniel Rossen has finally stepped fully into the spotlight with his debut solo album, and the result is nothing short of mesmerising. The Grizzly Bear guitarist and vocalist has long been recognised as one of indie rock's most gifted songwriters, his intricate compositions and gossamer vocals providing the backbone for some of the band's most celebrated moments. Yet *Silent Hour/Golden Mile* reveals an artist operating with newfound freedom, unshackled from collaborative compromise and able to follow his muse wherever it leads.

The album's genesis traces back to Grizzly Bear's extended hiatus following 2017's *Painted Ruins*. While his bandmates pursued various projects, Rossen retreated to his home studio, initially with no grand plan beyond personal exploration. What emerged over several years of patient crafting was a collection of songs that feel both intimately personal and universally resonant, marked by the kind of meticulous attention to detail that has become his calling card.

Musically, *Silent Hour/Golden Mile* occupies a fascinating middle ground between the baroque pop sophistication of his day job and something altogether more pastoral and contemplative. The influence of British folk is writ large across these ten tracks, with echoes of Nick Drake and Bert Jansch threading through Rossen's delicate fingerpicked guitar work. Yet this is no mere exercise in retro pastiche – the arrangements are shot through with subtle electronic textures, unexpected harmonic turns, and production flourishes that place the album firmly in the present day.

Opening track "Celia" sets the tone perfectly, its cyclical guitar pattern supporting a melody that seems to float rather than stride. Rossen's voice, always his secret weapon, has rarely sounded more expressive, conveying profound emotion through the most economical of means. It's a quality that runs throughout the album, whether on the hypnotic "Shadow in the Frame" or the gently building "Unpeopled Space," where layers of vocals create an almost choral effect that recalls the Beach Boys at their most introspective.

The album's twin peaks arrive with "You Belong to the Mountain" and "Tangle." The former is perhaps Rossen's most immediate composition, built around a guitar line that manages to be both simple and sophisticated, while his lyrics paint vivid pictures of isolation and connection with nature. "Tangle," meanwhile, showcases his ability to construct complex emotional narratives within deceptively straightforward song structures, its central metaphor of entanglement working on multiple levels.

Equally impressive is "It Will Find You," a seven-minute epic that unfolds with the patience of a master storyteller. Beginning with just voice and guitar, it gradually accumulates instrumental voices – strings, subtle percussion, layers of harmony – until it achieves an almost orchestral grandeur. It's the kind of song that rewards deep listening, revealing new details with each encounter.

The production, handled by Rossen himself alongside engineer Sam Cohen, deserves particular praise. Every element sits exactly where it needs to, creating space for the songs to breathe while maintaining an intimate, almost confessional quality. The use of reverb and delay creates a sense of place – these songs seem to exist in actual rooms, with natural acoustics and human imperfections intact.

If there's a criticism to be made, it's that Rossen's perfectionist tendencies occasionally work against him. A few tracks feel almost too pristine, lacking the rough edges that might have given them additional character. "Mercury" and "Repeat the Pattern," while beautifully crafted, don't quite achieve the emotional impact of the album's strongest moments.

*Silent Hour/Golden Mile* arrives at a time when many of Rossen's indie rock contemporaries are either treading water or making increasingly desperate bids for relevance. His approach – patient, considered, uncompromisingly artistic – feels almost radical in its refusal to chase trends or court easy popularity. This is music for the long haul, designed to reward sustained attention rather than provide instant gratification.

The album's legacy may well be in demonstrating that there's still an audience for sophisticated, adult-oriented songcraft in an increasingly fragmented musical landscape. Rossen has created something genuinely beautiful here – a collection of songs that feel both timeless and utterly contemporary, marking him as one of our most essential musical voices. Grizzly Bear's eventual return will be welcome, but on this evidence, Rossen's solo journey is just beginning.