With two full-length albums and innumerable appearances on cassettes and compilations firmly under their belts,
Growing have lived up to their name by expanding their palette with each subsequent release. With this three-song EP, the group builds upon themes found on 2004's Soul of the Rainbow and the Harmony of Light, as is immediately evident in the EP's opener, "In the Shadow of the Mountain." Distorted drones lay the foundation for guitar melodies and textures that sound reminiscent of a Scottish bagpiper. On the surface, "Wide Open," the CD's closer, sounds a bit like one
Eno-esque chord being held for 16 minutes, but close listening reveals small nuances and gradually unfolding changes that are mildly hypnotic. Not as earth-shattering as previous releases, but a nice bridge to see what happens next.~ Rob Theakston