Glimmer

Released in 2011 on Ghostly International, Glimmer represents a pivotal moment in Michał Jacaszek's career where his 'electroacoustic' style reached a peak of refined clarity. Moving away from the more overt gloom of Treny, Glimmer utilizes the harpsichord and clarinet to create a sound palette inspired by baroque music, specifically referencing the poetry of Gerard Manley Hopkins in its track titles. The album was recorded using a mix of traditional acoustic instruments and digital processing, where Jacaszek treats the 'glitches' and 'hiss' as organic components of the arrangement. Critics from AllMusic and the BBC praised the album for its ability to bridge the gap between classical formality and electronic experimentation without feeling forced. It stands as a definitive example of the neoclassical ambient movement of the early 2010s, noted for its 'shimmering' quality that gives the album its name.