Forest Floor comprises an improvisational quartet of multi-instrumentalists, two of whom previously participated in the metal fusion project Theory of Negativity. Their collective approach yields spontaneous compositions that draw on jazz, new age, ambient, and avant-garde idioms, with each track establishing its own distinct mood and instrumental configuration. The liner notes accompanying Scrawls From the Unconscious state plainly, “We didn’t plan, write, or arrange anything in advance. Everything was improvised, including production.” Even so, the outcome of Forest Floor’s process registers at least as strongly as material developed through conventional preparation. Manifest opens with layered textures supporting a contemplative shakuhachi above a gently flowing brook; these elements recede into quiet, giving way to twin futuristic keyboards, the reappearance of bass, and an array of uncommon percussion including pueblo drum, zils (chimes), and bodhran (Celtic frame drum). The seamless coordination suggests deliberate orchestration, which accounts for the effectiveness of the group’s unplanned music. Rather than any individual seeking prominence, the musicians pool their abilities across numerous instruments to realize a unified, predominantly cinematic and evocative atmosphere. Manifest further includes “Cold Sun,” an extended live piece exceeding ten minutes in which percussion, keyboards, and flute interact with calm cohesion. Label mate Conni St. Pierre, also a Forest Floor member, offers the solo release Beneath the Waves, a collection of atmospheric originals performed on multiple wind instruments.
