Drones, hums and washes of sound ebb and flow in the distance, while in the foreground a gauze of static crackles and fizzes. Perspective is key: the background becomes the focus, the distraction the point of attention, but the mind can’t help but wander back to those scrapes and sustained notes that hang on the horizon. Incidental pops and clanks interrupt protracted spells of near-silence, a soundtrack that’s barely a whisper.
Without employing increased levels of volume or abrasive sounds, ‘Die tragedie van een liedjesschrijver zonder woorden’ sees Orphax prove it’s still possible to penetrate the listener’s psyche and by alternative means. Seeping into the subconscious by stealth, it’s a subtle yet powerful triumph, and very far from tragic.
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