Ian C. Bouras is back in the independent music circuit, with the release of his new, sixteen minute single The Sound of Raindrops on a Broken Heart. A modern day Brian Eno, Bouras has expertly crafted notable tracks and EPs for the last couple of years, becoming one of the most exciting alternative musical acts in recent memory. But what takes his celebrity status to the next level is his willingness to be open about the nature of what informs his music, all of his work being intensely personal, particularly now given the unveiling of a life-altering diagnosis. “My name is Ian C. Bouras.
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I love to play the guitar and produce music. I first noticed symptoms when I was struggling to play something on the guitar. I went to go see a doctor about my coordination and was diagnosed with Ataxia,” Mr. Bouras wrote on the National Ataxia Foundation (NAF) website. “Strangely, life before Ataxia felt very guided, as I always felt there were certain paths we are expected to take. With Ataxia, I feel less stressed about following an expected path, as I am now in ‘uncharted waters.’”
This embrace of the ‘uncharted waters’ Mr. Bouras found himself in has led him to even more strong entries in his burgeoning catalogue. Sound of Raindrops on a Broken Heart is a musical feast, its rampant and unapologetic egotism with respect to length and scope matched only by its distinctive craft, genuinely beautiful harmonies.
Bouras is an expert on mixing unusual and seemingly incompatible musical traits into fully realized, coherent wholes. He’s not interested in people pleasing, yet the tracks for the right choir will indeed please. It almost calls to mind the experimental period of Brian Wilson post-The Beach Boys, where utilizing the elements of popular music Wilson was able to move into more prestigious, artistic expressions. Bouras does the same, citing unique musical aspects as inspiration, but standing firmly on his own two feet and engineering his own sound in the process.
On NAF, Bouras showed the same balance with the way he chose to disclose and normalize his diagnosis with Ataxia. He was able to highlight how such a diagnosis is not an impediment, but a challenge to overcome. Maybe even a career strength. Normally such talk can be somewhat trite, and potentially enraging to those most adversely affected. But Bouras is able to write with this unapologetic, emotional candor. It’s the same thing you feel in his music, this kind of earnestness coupled with genuine talent. “I’m inspired a lot by nature. I’m also very inspired by my emotions, many of which relate to Ataxia,” he has said. “There aren’t many other people that can share those feelings, and I think that’s something that makes anyone with Ataxia incredibly unique. I have always wanted to make an impact, and now I can do this by finding ways to continue to play guitar, to show that whatever hinders you can also make you stronger.”
Claire Uebelacker