Apollo Brown Drops His Philosophy on “Tao Te Ching”

Knowing others is wisdom;

Knowing the self is enlightenment.

Mastering others requires force;

Mastering the self requires strength; 

The above quote is from the Tao Te Ching, a sacred text on Daoism. One of the best things an artist can do is experience life and be well-read on those who came before us and shaped the world we see today. Producer Apollo Brown appears to be doing just, naming this latest leak from his forthcoming Clouds instrumental album named after the Chinese classical text.

The drums and piano notes have a plodding pace. The standout melody here is the brass horns, which give the composition some urgency. The mood is a distinct feel that some task must be accomplished immediately. For me, it gave the image of an army from a bygone era marching solemnly to a far-off destination.

One glaring downside is the aborted improvisation that kicks off around the 1:03 mark. It would have fleshed out the instrumental to have that potential solo extend for a good 30 seconds or so. Instead, Brown abruptly cuts back to the horn melody after less than 10 seconds.

Apollo Brown’s Clouds is available today on iTunes. The physical CD hits stores March 1 via FatBeats.