Pablo Embon – Plateaus and Other Enchanted Lands (Album Review)

Pablo Embon’s Plateaus and Other Enchanted Lands is an album that immediately establishes itself as a multifaceted work of jazz fusion and beyond. As with all of Embon’s projects, every instrument, layer, and mix has been performed, recorded, and produced by him alone. That fact is crucial to understanding the record’s ambition, because what unfolds across its tracks is not only a showcase of technical musicianship but also a lesson in how one artist can weave orchestration, improvisation, and production craft into a singular artistic voice.

The opening track, Jingle Bells, is an introduction in the truest sense. It begins with a classic jazz feel before expanding into a kaleidoscope of sounds, each instrument layered carefully until the arrangement bursts into a full crescendo. The track is playful, danceable, and restless in its shifting beats, almost as if Embon is demonstrating the breadth of his instrumental arsenal. The production choices highlight this variety: the instruments never blur into one another but instead retain their character while still blending seamlessly, giving the song both clarity and vitality.

Pushing My Luck pulls the listener into a different space altogether. Where the opener was expansive and bold, this track is slower and romantic, with piano and drums carrying a wistful narrative. The tone feels like a moment in an intimate jazz bar, where melody carries the weight of memory and longing. The contrast between this and the previous track reveals Embon’s range not only as a composer but also as a storyteller through sound.

One of the album’s most striking compositions is Fly-Away Dreams, which introduces traditional Chinese influences. The track is careful in its pacing, allowing instruments to unfold slowly and deliberately. The sound design feels cinematic, and the subtle incorporation of bird calls grounds the piece in an earthy, almost spiritual realism. The mix here is particularly impressive: each swell feels measured, each drop orchestrated to align with the listener’s emotional arc. It is a track that would sit naturally in a film soundtrack, further underscoring Embon’s recent pivot toward film scoring.

Good Days Ahead shifts again, beginning with piano in a tone that feels ominous and charged with tension. The track oscillates between moods, sometimes ominous, sometimes curious, always teetering between darkness and discovery. It is another cinematic piece, demonstrating Embon’s ability to create atmosphere with precision. The production builds and releases tension with an orchestral sensibility, reminding the listener of his recent successes in orchestral composition contests.

The following tracks push the narrative further. With Your Eyes on the Wind begins with a foghorn-like resonance before layering instruments into a chase-like momentum. The depth here feels more restrained, which paradoxically strengthens the sense of pursuit and mystery. Derailed, by contrast, is mischievous and hypnotic, a piece that thrives on its shifts between ominous tones and lighter, almost victorious passages. The flute in this track is particularly effective, adding both emotional depth and timbral contrast, and again reinforcing the cinematic scope of Embon’s compositional style.

The album’s latter half takes on a more introspective dimension. Breaking the Undone and The Lost Battle both begin with solo piano, creating emotional intimacy before gradually building out into fuller orchestrations. These pieces are less about grandeur and more about delicacy, their restraint allowing Embon’s sense of melody to shine. They suggest battles both internal and external, offering interpretations that range from lost love to literal conflict, each interpretation valid through the lens of the carefully layered arrangements.

With You Again (Remix 2025) introduces vocals into the album. The classical guitar foundation is exquisite, demonstrating Embon’s technical mastery, while the lyrics lean into natural imagery and longing. The vocals could benefit from slight polishing, but they ultimately serve the track well by widening the emotional scope of the record. The inclusion of lyrics at this point in the album feels deliberate, as if to bridge instrumental storytelling with human voice.

What Makes You Feel Stronger and 2005 After the Rain – Re-orchestrated continue to strip back and explore quieter moods. The former is anchored by classical guitar in a meditative performance that feels timeless, while the latter revisits an earlier work with renewed orchestral weight, balancing sadness with acceptance. Both tracks reinforce Embon’s skill in shaping narrative arcs through arrangement and timbre.

The closing track, Three Minutes Away – 12 Strings Guitar Duo, provides a final tonal shift. With its folk influences and the bright resonance of the 12-string guitar, it feels pastoral and liberating. The sound conjures images of open fields and sunlight, serving as a beautiful and optimistic conclusion. The mix is spacious and warm, leaving the listener with a sense of both closure and openness.

Across Plateaus and Other Enchanted Lands, what stands out most is Embon’s control over dynamics and mood. He is a composer who understands not just how to write melodies but how to sculpt emotional journeys. His production is consistently meticulous, ensuring that no instrument overpowers another, while his multi-instrumental talent allows him to shift effortlessly between styles and traditions. This album is as much a showcase of his jazz fusion roots as it is a testament to his evolution into film scoring and orchestral writing.

It is rare to find an artist who can carry an entire project of this scope on their own shoulders, from composition to recording to mixing and mastering. Pablo Embon proves not only that it can be done, but that it can be done with elegance, imagination, and heart. Plateaus and Other Enchanted Lands is both a culmination of his decades of experience and a glimpse into the new directions his music is headed.

SCORE / Outstanding – Plateaus and Other Enchanted Lands is a masterclass in versatility, where every track reveals a new layer of Pablo Embon’s artistry and production craft. It leaves the listener with both admiration for his technical brilliance and anticipation for where his evolving musical journey will lead next.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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