Noveller is the solo project of Sarah Lipstate, a sound artist and film-maker from Brooklyn, New York. Red Rainbows, her second release on indie label, No Fun Productions, isn’t so much an album of music as a portfolio of sound-art. Lipstate creates soundscapes with a double-necked electric guitar that she hacks and bows and plucks while heavily shaping the sound with a plethora of effects. The album explores five variations on this theme. Her dense and layered drones sometimes soar and sing, and sometimes rumble and lament. The textures, she works in over the top as a painter would with oils, blending and highlighting with different motifs.

Lipstate asserts her artistry with confidence. With little to compare it to, any interpretation is purely subjective. But if anything lets Red Rainbows down then it is the last track ‘Bends’, which at nearly twenty minutes in length may start to test the listener’s patience. An analogue synth is introduced to the instrumentation, which makes squelchy, glitchy noises for a very long time. Back in the 80’s the Sinclair ZX Spectrum micro-computer made a very similar noise for a similar amount of time when loading games from its cassette drive. This retro, digital element introduces a cultural connotation that threatens to bring the preceding tracks’ soaring freedom crashing down to earth.

That aside, Noveller’s latest release offers some resounding pleasures for the open minded listener, often a feeling of being bathed in sounds alternately warmed and chilled in engulfing ripples. It can be unique and very personal experience, and the subtleties of the arrangements require the listener’s full attention to be appreciated. While it is difficult to imagine putting on Red Rainbows while sharing a drink with friends, as it will no doubt appeal more to an audience with an affinity for the broader arts than music fans who need hooks and melodies to reinforce the emotional content, the album invites contemplation with the promise of hidden nuances. It is refreshing to come across a project that is unashamed to push the boundaries of music and sound.