Coven Tree / Tadzio Split
A few months ago Tadzio's The Sick Room was on the repeated listening plan. This is an incredible well composed album, and describing it was on the list.... But there is a heaviness to it that a short synopsis of words can not rise too, at least the efforts here at Lost in a Sea of Sound. Would like to go back and try again, but the sadness is real, the words clear and exacting, and the instrumentation pulls on your thoughts. To all involved with The Sick Room, incredible work, thank you for fueling emotions and contemplation.
This is a side tracked opening for the new split cassette by Coven Tree and Tadzio, but there was no way to start if the earlier body of work was not addressed. And with this touched upon history, Tadzio finds themselves at the core of another body of similar work. Folk, classical and experimental fused into an entirely new medium. The balance on this split, between both projects and sides they contribute, is the most striking feature. One side all instrumental and the other music and poetry caught between storytelling and song.
Coven Tree fills side A with an ambient pull through the centuries. Classical instruments, viola and cello, combine with keyboards to create a drone like atmosphere. The first track "No Land" floats like a wisp of a cloud across lush green mountain views. The sky is grey and white, keyboards in rhythm with intermittent falling rain. The heaviness of the moment is pierced by timeless factors of beauty, each existing for reasons yet to be fully understood. Maybe this is key to understanding the two artist making up Coven Tree, Alexia Kauffman and Hannah Burris have found the sonic pathway to a world of music shrinking away. A bright radiant point on an aural landscape of forgotten composers and the souls of incredible artists.
Side B holds two tracks by Tadzio. There is some similarity to The Sick Room, maybe this is a continuation along certain veins of interest or artists involved. Either way, Tadzio is extremely adept at creating their unique experimental folk like sounds. With the opening track "Death and the Lady", a timeless story of trying to bargain with Death unfolds. "Give me time in the light and air" is all the Lady asks for, but Death has heard this before. Even when offered earthly goods include castles and crystal stairs, Death is only interested in the soul of the moment. The Lady realizes she can only leave words of advice, "Oh Lady's make much of your time, here lies a young girl cut down in her prime". Tadzio weaves the sonic threads of this telling tapestry with modern creativity. Their conceptualization of instrumentation fits impeccably to the stories being told, songs being sung. The second song extends reaching branches and touches another genre entirely. "Absence" has a pop hook that repeats in thoughts, "I'm doing alright, how you doing?, I'm doing alright". Doing good after listening to this split...
A lot to say for four tracks on a cassette. Very deserving though, balanced beauty all the way through. This BLIGHT. Records release is still in the pre-order phase. The scheduled release date will be near the beginning of the third week in August. Not sure how many in this edition, one hundred is a number BLIGHT. records has used for cassettes before. The opening Coven Tree track up on bandcamp and is currently listenable. If you like it, know the entire release is that good.
Links
This is a side tracked opening for the new split cassette by Coven Tree and Tadzio, but there was no way to start if the earlier body of work was not addressed. And with this touched upon history, Tadzio finds themselves at the core of another body of similar work. Folk, classical and experimental fused into an entirely new medium. The balance on this split, between both projects and sides they contribute, is the most striking feature. One side all instrumental and the other music and poetry caught between storytelling and song.
Coven Tree fills side A with an ambient pull through the centuries. Classical instruments, viola and cello, combine with keyboards to create a drone like atmosphere. The first track "No Land" floats like a wisp of a cloud across lush green mountain views. The sky is grey and white, keyboards in rhythm with intermittent falling rain. The heaviness of the moment is pierced by timeless factors of beauty, each existing for reasons yet to be fully understood. Maybe this is key to understanding the two artist making up Coven Tree, Alexia Kauffman and Hannah Burris have found the sonic pathway to a world of music shrinking away. A bright radiant point on an aural landscape of forgotten composers and the souls of incredible artists.
Side B holds two tracks by Tadzio. There is some similarity to The Sick Room, maybe this is a continuation along certain veins of interest or artists involved. Either way, Tadzio is extremely adept at creating their unique experimental folk like sounds. With the opening track "Death and the Lady", a timeless story of trying to bargain with Death unfolds. "Give me time in the light and air" is all the Lady asks for, but Death has heard this before. Even when offered earthly goods include castles and crystal stairs, Death is only interested in the soul of the moment. The Lady realizes she can only leave words of advice, "Oh Lady's make much of your time, here lies a young girl cut down in her prime". Tadzio weaves the sonic threads of this telling tapestry with modern creativity. Their conceptualization of instrumentation fits impeccably to the stories being told, songs being sung. The second song extends reaching branches and touches another genre entirely. "Absence" has a pop hook that repeats in thoughts, "I'm doing alright, how you doing?, I'm doing alright". Doing good after listening to this split...
A lot to say for four tracks on a cassette. Very deserving though, balanced beauty all the way through. This BLIGHT. Records release is still in the pre-order phase. The scheduled release date will be near the beginning of the third week in August. Not sure how many in this edition, one hundred is a number BLIGHT. records has used for cassettes before. The opening Coven Tree track up on bandcamp and is currently listenable. If you like it, know the entire release is that good.
Links
