This post was inevitable – only a matter of time, really. When St. Vincent played Central Park Summerstage, a hundred or so eyes were transfixed on the petite fashionista rocking out on the guitar and cooing sweetly over dark arrangements. Mine were on violinist/multi-instrumentalist Daniel Hart; my own affinity for string instruments wholly to blame. So of course when I found out he had a solo project, I was all over it. When not touring with St. Vincent or John Vanderslice, he could be found leading the ranks of The Physics of Meaning but earlier this year Daniel Hart released his first album, The Orientalist, under his own name.
Inspired by Hart’s travels and adventures in India, it’s clear from the rather groovy string-centric intro of “Van Gogh Sher Gil” that you’re about to hear something truly special. What Hart offers is a completely three-dimensional album – in stripped down acoustic ballad “Happy Together”, in noisy rhythmic “I Took the Western Rail to Ahmedabad”, or instrumental intros “Pink Walls Gather No Dust” and “Elizabeth Russell”. For being first and foremost a violinist, Hart finds a wonderful balance between strings and everything else. The Orientalist is not without its elegant string arrangements but Hart isn’t afraid to pair them up with bombastic electronics and gritty guitar riffs all the while never decreasing their beauty.
While Hart was no doubt inspired by his time in India, The Orientalist with its slick pop sensibilities proves that such experiences can no doubt be universal. You don’t have to cross an ocean or take foreign public transportation to connect with Hart’s songs. Aside from the intro to “God of Small Things”, the Indian influence is merely hinted at in song titles and offhand references. In doing this, Hart has avoided the pitfall of perceived hokey-ness.
You can listen to the whole album at Daniel Hart's Bandcamp:
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