Blessed Are the Hearts That Bend - A Gentle Death/A Sudden Birth

 

Released: December 6 

The latest album from the UK-based solo project of Luke Seomore, A Gentle Death/A Sudden Birth is a rather somber sounding examination of the nature of human life that plays on the familiar themes of death, birth, and the continuing cycle of our continued existence. Thematically, it is rather straightforward. But sonically it is quite rich and full of layered instruments that began as simple and frenetically recorded bits of acoustic guitar. Even with the supposedly quick recording of these parts, they shine though beautifully and hold each individual track together. These guitar parts play on with various synth tones that give an ethereal atmosphere to everything as the accompanying elements swirl magnificently around them as the stay mainly in the center of practically every track, acting as the ground for these lush and airy compositions.

The loose narrative of the album unfolds over the course of twelve rather short tracks, with only a few of them breaking the three minute mark. But their brevity seems to be part of what makes them so effective as the portray just a small theme in an overarching collection of deep running themes that all work towards the same end - considering and accepting the fact of our existence that we are only ephemeral instances here. Compositionally, this is expressed wonderfully in the folk-inspired guitar stylings played exclusively in open C with field recordings through in afterwards to provide a reminder of the reality in which we live. The combination of these elements gives us something that is transcendent and reflects something ineffable while also providing stark reminders of the physical world we inhabit. It is a rather lovely juxtaposition that conjure feelings of tranquil reflection.