Marcus Fischer + the OO-Ray – Tulong

Although this certainly isn’t the first time melancholic soundsmith Marcus Fischer and modern classicist/cellist the OO-Ray (a.k.a. Ted Laderas) has teamed up, the Portland-based collaborative duo has never quite come off this warm and gentle. Fischer and Laderas’ initial outing came in the form of the Tesselations LP, a pixelated landscape of colorful, processed ambiance. But the duo now returns with a charity in mind with Tulong, a two-track EP benefiting Humanitarian Response Philippines, a charity that is assisting in the rebuilding of homes of those devastated by Haiyan.

Each track glides along at a slow pace, cracking like a stroll down autumnal lanes illuminated by streetlights. Tones are stretched out and given complete room to breathe. While “Deluge” is a more solemn affair, resembling a Nick Cave score played at a quarter-speed, “Reconstruction” almost feels like a literal picking up of the pieces. There’s a hope and will in the sustained notes. Donate and download a copy of Tulong now by heading to Fischer’s own Bandcamp page.