Artist:
The Russian-Linesman
Title:
Monomyth IV – Apotheosis
Label:
Loki-Recordings
Released:
10th July
The
fourth instalment in the monomyth series where most often anonymous
storytellers are merged into a musical collage of field recordings
and electronic soundscapes. The concept of the monomyth or heroes
journey is where the central character goes on a journey and against
adversity, wins a victory and returns home a changed person.
“This
EP starts with the darkest point of our adventure, the ordeal and the
inevitable descent into the abyss. The only way now is upward. The
rebirth of our heroes leads to their apotheosis, as they seize the
sword and begin to enter the divine realm... from a certain point of
view." – Russian Linesman
The
adventure gets underway with ‘Ordeal’ the longest track of the
E.P. at just over nine minutes long. The slow plodding beat and
echoes of the narrative lead to passages of choral voices that
provide a Gregorian chant feel to the piece. Whilst the tale is of
being helped by those who have the least to offer whilst cold and
disorientated.
The
next track ‘Descent’ begins with a foreboding dark intro that
soon unfurls into a light and melodic piece. The emphasis of the tale
here is of comfort after sorrow and loss. This is followed by
‘Re-Birth’ which is a more gritty number with dark loops and
piano stabs that bounce of the slow-house beat. Whilst the subject
matter here placing the focus on coming out of a trauma re-born and
re-juvenated.
The
final piece of the jigsaw of this instalment is ‘Seizing the
Sword’. Where indistinct background chatter and melodic
electronica, provide the background for this tale of avoiding the
publicity and admiration that comes with being a hero.
Reviewed
by Woodzee
links
Video
from the re-mixes of the last instalment ‘Entering the Belly of the
Whale’
Remix
by Nick Warren & Nicolas Rada
