Memory Drawings is an Anglo/American/Australian collective led by Joel Hanson (Hammered dulcimer, keyboards, percussion) with Ross Halden-Guitar, keyboards, percussion; Bradley Hanson - Bass, guitar, keyboards, interludes; Peter Hollo - Cello; Sarah Kemp-Violin; Aaron Kesher-Guitar; Josh Larson - Bass, Joel Smith-Hammered dulcimer, percussion; and several other guest performers on selected tracks.The music defies easy categorization. Obviously from the instrumentation this isn't typically ambient, but it certainly has ambient elements. One would be tempted to lump 'Deathbed Requests' into the vast ocean of post-rock releases, but that would be a disservice. The use of hammered dulcimer gives the music a folky quality but this is hardly folk music or folk rock. You might call it instrumental art rock, but ambient folk rock might work. If the compositions were darker it could be darkwave but they're really not, so forget that. So instrumental ambient folk rock it is. Having previously reviewed Memory Drawing's 'Phantom Lights' back in 2019, I recall being not much impressed by it as the album seemed underwhelming to me, being more of a collection of ideas rather than fully developed pieces. 'Deathbed Requests' is far more focused and much better executed than the previous work.

These compositions seem to be mostly based on a riff or musical idea spawned by the hammered dulcimer and expanded upon by the other members of the band. There is an improvisational feel, yet with defined structure to these pieces. "Some Vague Sense of Belonging" is led by a hammered dulcimer riff with medium tempo rhythm, with other instruments supporting the theme but Sarah Kemp's violin is the real star of the show here. The ambient creeps into the beginning of "These Are My Interpretations" built on a repeating bass figure and solid drum track with tremolo guitar chord loop by Andrew Scrogham, placing this track somewhere between psychedelic and folk rock. My favorite track on the album so far. Once it gets going, the drums are more active on "Grateful For What Amounts To Nothing," but in spite of the rhythmic boost, the track never seems to get past its simplistic hammered dulcimer riff. More successful is the following track, "Non-Aggression Pact" which sounds more aggressive in contradiction to its title. The distorted electric guitar chords might have something to do with that, as well as the strong string section chords. Perhaps the least "ambient" track on the album, but still a good one. Typical of the idea to base a track entirely on a single melodic hammered dulcimer riff is "A Necessary Fiction" but the embellishment works so well here you may not even think much about it. The addition of some hand percussion with the drum track offers some welcome enhancement. With the name "Divisible By Three" it is only naturally that the track begins in 3/4 time. The violin adds a touch of melancholy to the first part, but then it changes to something rather different, somewhat more abstract. (Imagine King Crimson as a folk rock band!) Nevertheless, a very enjoyable piece. There's an oriental demeanor to "You Won't Want To Hear This" (gong and a pentatonic scale are the giveaway) and this is where things get really psychedelic with fuzz guitar, but it changes mid-way through to something different with violin in the lead. Huh? I was just getting used to the first part.... While not a true "march," "A Final Request" is march-like enough that it could be used for soundtrack music for a certain time period historical drama such as 'Outlander' or similar.

While far removed from what I'd call Ambient music with a capital 'A,' 'Deathbed Requests' has an eclectic mien all its own that defies categorization in any alt-rock, post-rock, or art-rock genres. An interesting album with a solid replay factor. Comes in the typical Sound In Silence hand-made packaging limited edition of 350, or for the more adventurous, a deluxe limited edition of 150 that comes with a bonus disc of remixes of this album by other Sound In Silence artists (Maps and Diagrams, Yellow6, Test Card, etc., etc.), and of course, digital for those who eschew the physical.