An enthralling sound flows throughout Paper Can’t Wrap Fire, an album from Don Glori that intoxicates in its atmospheric, grooving blend of soul, funk, and jazz. The third full-length from the Melbourne/Naarm multi-instrumentalist, whose real name is Gordon Li, Paper Can’t Wrap Fire bases its title on an old Chinese proverb, which translates roughly to “you can’t deny the truth.” Aptly, relevant themes flow artfully through the album. “A lot of them are in some way about truth-seeking, observations and the masks you put on to deal with life (hence the cover art),” the artist says of the tracks.
Commencing the album, “Disaster” crafts a rainy-day moodiness in its understated piano and debonair bass crawl — building seamlessly into soulful multi-vocal harmoniousness. Free-flowing brass slithers alongside the hypnotic vocal layers, which proclaim “we make the sun set / we make the clouds rise,” into the conclusion’s riveting, gospel-like power. Lyrical conveyances of art’s power are on display, along with satirical takes on the machine that runs on artists — but rarely runs for them.
ML Hall’s vocals enamor on multiple tracks, including the gorgeous “Flicker.” “I’ll be waiting,” a smooth entrancement exudes, as glistening keys and emerging brass move seamlessly from lush introspection into rousing emotion. Aforementioned themes of truth compel lyrically into a synth-touched enthrallment, infusing lovely backing vocals and crafting a sound enjoyably reminiscent of The Style Council — amidst urgings to “face the day,” and its observation-induced truths. From the festive-feeling vibrancy of “Power” to the jazzy intrigue of finale “Saturn’s Return,” Paper Can’t Wrap Fire is a consuming success from Don Glori.
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The track is also featured in the genre-based, best-of Spotify compilation Emerging Indie Soul.
We discovered this release via MusoSoup.
