"July" is the work of Trevor Powers, a Boise native whose reverb-coated sonics scream "bedroom" while his songwriting screams for canyons. Because what begins as a staid, somber, relatively precious affair blooms into something unexpected, something massive. It's all about the build. Powers does it layer by layer, bit by bit, piece by piece, letting this song gather melodic steam and momentum at a pace that's skilfully measured. Organ acts as bedrock for the bell and vocal melody, which paves the way for kick drum and piano before those guitar chords sneak in at the mid-point to really get things moving. Some pedal steel here, a skyward shout there, and then you're off. It feels like a soundtrack to a video montage or maybe just a dream, and then the landing that follows is every bit as careful, equally assured. All this comes from a songwriter with just a few tracks to his name, which means you can't help wondering what's coming next.

[from The Year of Hibernation single; self-released]