Weserbergland – Sacrae Symphoniae Nr. 1 – 2022
Krautrock, Noise, Soundscape, Avant-Prog, Contemporary
Norway
1. Sacrae Symphonia No. 1 (39:49)
Bass – Ingebrigt Håker Flaten
Drums – Vetle Larsen
French Horn – Filippo Tramontana
Guitars – Gaute Storsve
Oboe – Manuel Domènech
Piano – Jan Terje Augestad
Saxophone – Jørgen Mathisen
Violin – Maria Grigoryeva
Synth, Computer, Effects Live Fx, Composer – Ketil Vestrum Einarsen
What feels like a continuation of both the sound of 2020's incredible Am Ende der Welt as well as the evolution of the Weserbergland sound and vision, we have here a headlong hypersonic immersion into a mind-blowing blending of the worlds of the acoustic and electronic--one in which acoustic instruments are merged seemlessly into one soundscape. Though prog veteran Mattias Olsson seems to have left the project that he help start back in 2015, replacement drummer Vetle Larsen is everybit as impressive (though I'm never certain which drum/percussion parts are "live" with "real" instruments and which are electronically programmed and computer generated), and one of the other founding four from Sehr Kosmisch, Ganz Progisch, White Willow/The Opium Cartel's Jacob Holm- Lupo has moved back behind the scenes into the post-production role of mastering. Joining the project here is American producer/musician from the Post Rock scene, John McEntire (Tortoise, Stereolab, Gastr Del Sol, The Sea and Cake, Dave Grubbs, Red Krayola) on the mixing board. Though founding member, guitarist Gaute Storsve, is still very much a part of the scene, the project has really evolved into the hands of multi-talented visionary Ketil Vestrum Einarsen (White Willow, Motorpsycho, Tirill, Geir Lysne, Jaga Jazzist, Wobbler, Finn Coren, Frida Ånnevik, Kaukasus, Anima Morte, Galasphere 347), who is credited with composing, programming, fxing, synthesizing, and, I'm sure, more. What a vision!
1. "Sacrae Symphonia No. 1" (39:49) starts off like a rocket out of a rocket launcher and though the Magma-like bass and wild drums only enter in the seventh minute, it finally peaks in its trajectory in the second stage, begins to lose steam and layers of support tracks from the 14th minute from which it's rather peaceful (outer-atmosphere) mid- flight feels almost peaceful, maybe even weightless. At the halfway mark searing, screaming cacophony (of frictional re-entry?) takes over before the full-on barrage of drums and bass et al. begin hurtling through the air again--all the while the discordant notes of orchestral instruments hold in sustained ribbons like trail kites until the 26th minute when forward motion is minuscule while a trail of echoes seems to be left to fall into the distance. At 27:37 the drums reenter, not quite as frenetically, more robotically. Perhaps this is the missile's guided cruise control as it scours the earth's surface in search of its target/final destination. By the 30-minute mark, the musical tapestry has thickened again, though both the electric and orchestral contributions all feel more copacetic and even cohesive: there is less discord and cacophony and more "sacred." (Man is this drummer having to work hard!) Were I to try to convert my metaphoric imagery to fit the song's title, I might use language and terms from a vocabulary based in celestial astronomy or quantum physics, or even Biblical references: The Fall of Lucifer; a struggle against the forces of a black hole/singularity; the journey of a subatomic particle as it passes through the subspace ether of Jesus on the Cross. I do appreciate and like the subtle, gradual transition from what seems and feels like entropic dissonance to coordinated, harmonic organization.
by BrufordFreak
As the name of the album implies, we are treated to a symphony here. Of sorts. Those with a theoretical knowledge of music may well point to a number of details here that can be traced back to or directly belonging to classical music too I presume, but as I'm a mere listener of music I will leave that specific task to other writers with a different perspective on matters than what I have. For my sake I think this epic and eccentric creation is one that probably will find the majority of it's listeners among those who treasure music described in an avant and experimental context, as the almost 40 minutes long creation we are treated to here features many trademarks that will fit both of those descriptions. From what I can hear, the classical aspects of this creation is mainly performed by noise textures of various kinds, with keyboards or synthesizers providing subtle harmonies weaving in between the textures that have more of a noise character to them. Brass and reeds come and go as atmospheric laden distant additions or as providers of details that have more of a jazz orientation and distinction to them, which of course also leads to passages with a blend of impulses from jazz and classical music, perhaps with a bit of chamber music too, but explored within what I'd describe as a noise-oriented context. The noise textures themselves aren't stark, grand dominant displays either, but a hovering presence adding a touch of static residing towards the edge of the audible more often than not. Sometimes as a direct presence, sometimes as the more or less accidental result of different instrument resonances. The dividing line between sound, harmony and noise and what separates them may well be a discussion point among dedicated music nerds as far as this production goes too, with parameters here being subjective as well as objective. Booming and driving rhythms is a part of the experience here too, a recurring element that come and go quite a few times, and is instrumental in providing the energy and momentum needed to drive this massive creation onwards and to maintain the attention of listeners who are given a lot of impulses to relate to, comprehend and digest.
"Sacrae Symphoniae No. 1" is an impressive creation, and for anyone that regards music as mere entertainment this is a production that in my view can document that music is much more than mere entertainment and still is one of the creative arts. Perhaps and probably more art for the sake of art than art for the sake of the consumer in this case. But for those who treasure and adore art made for the sake of being art, and in musical terms compositions that are demanding, challenging and hard to digest, this is certainly a production to seek out for further inspection. This is experimental fare that to my mind resides somewhere near the very heart of the avant pastures of progressive rock.
by progressor net
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