There are times when one feels totally unprepared for reviewing something, and that is the case here as while this is an interesting album (more of that in a minute), the audio is only part of the experience and I have not seen the visual side. Although it is possible to purchase this as a 2-CD album with a 72 pages book of photography prints with original text, what I have is the music commissioned for a solo exploration by activist and luminary Butoh dance artist Vanessa Skantze of the fierce beauty, pain, resourcefulness, and resurrection of the land, the people, the creatures, and elements of the original Americas, dancing with the gods of Mexico, North America, and Haiti primarily. This draws from her travels, alongside her experiences and initiation into a Vodou Sosyete (community) in New Orleans, and her residency in Seattle, the traditional land of the Duwamish People.

She writes, “Every facet of culture in the Western Hemisphere is reeling in this (hopefully) last vicious convulsion of the European assault on the Americas and the enslavement of African and first-nations people to implement exploitation of the land. The task now (especially of whites) in the Americas is to dissolve the structures that have desecrated the land, people of color, & the poor and outcast–and to honor and respect the history, the gods, and the wild nature of this place.” Skantze produced, directed, choreographed & performed the live dance elements of the piece – as well as conceptualized, produced & commissioned the music, photography, original text, and painting aspects.

The sounds are produced by a series of musicians who have all built reputations in providing music which challenges the very definition of the word, namely Masaaki Masao, Erymanthe (Joy Von Spain & Susan Dumett), Pink Void, Greg Campbell & Sioux City Pete, Morher, Noisepoetnobody & Uneasy Chairs, Noisepoetnobody & Cailleach. They have taken sounds and manipulated them, so they are no longer recognisable, all then keeping with structure they have been provided with. There are seven songs, seven elements as it were, of Stone, Sea, Wind, Fire, Serpent, Muck and River. Each artist provides just one, although Noisepoetnobody collaborates with two different artists. This is not an album of easy listening music, nor is it something that mainstream listeners will ever appreciate, but for me I found this incredibly compelling and interesting. There is something about this style of music which intrigues me, takes me to places I never really imagined.

In some ways this is music for the post apocalypse, and while there may be vocals at times, they are far removed from what normally expects in a modern Western context. It will be interesting to see the complete visual experience to tie in with the aural, as even on its own this lengthy (110-minute-long) album is strangely compelling.

Rating: 7/10

Links:
https://www.scryrecordings.com/