Larry Karpenko's The Horizon is an issue of music, yet it is deeper than that: it is a meditation on history, social duty, and the choices we make. When Larry viewed President Lyndon Johnson's 1964 Civil Rights speech, he began to create a powerful sonic history that connected the past with the present. As listeners experience the sounds and texture of the music, they are reminded of the ongoing search for justice, equality, and unification.
The album was recorded at Kreation Records studio in Loma Linda, California. The Horizon, touches sounds from the historical past, blended with today's sounds of music, connecting the listener to the history of the message President Johnson referenced in his speech.
As the opening tracks portray the crackling sound of a vinyl record and a warm-type sound of analog synthesizers, the sound of history just chemicals from the airwaves sent you back in time. As the track progresses, the spoken excerpts of President Johnson's speech transitions into the spoken reflection of today by Nesto Lettsome. The addition of Nesto Lettsome's deep-tone voice adds importance to the subject of personal choices and collective responsibility.
The Horizon pays homage to vibes reminiscent of the likes of Moby and Bono, shared in the atmospheric beats, gospel-infused samples, and emotional crescendos. The choices Karpenko makes in producing the piece complement the complexity of the realities it depicts; straightforward piano melodies are layered amid the instrumentation suggesting rhythmic complexity, representing the tension between simplicity and the layers of complexity that accompany reality. Ultimately, The Horizon is not only a musical experience but it is also a call to action for people to reflect, wrestle with, and act on behalf of the values of justice and compassion.
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