Review Summary: "It is in the light of a fire that flowers grow"
Knud un nom de serpent is a ritualistic piece, inspired by sounds that are culturally rich while maintaining a universal language projected through emotional extremes. Amidst the multitude of foreign sounds, there are moments that require no translation, as they are meant to provoke innate reactions. While the shamanistic chants in the opener "La Quête des Pouvoirs"(The Pursuit of Power) may be indecipherable, there are many instances that feature a language we can all comprehend: emotion. While tossing around the term 'emotion' to the point of exhaustion has become commonplace in the description of music, it is easily justified, as music is often created with the sole intention of invoking it. Lionel Marchetti has composed a work of art that takes the invocation of emotions to unsettling heights, amidst a backdrop of cultural discovery.
The album begins with an overall tone similar to being thrust into a foreign land, as a medicine man chants among various sounds of hustle and bustle. After a few minutes, it is interrupted by something resembling a french radio station, as though the narrator (if we could call him/her that) is feeling homesick. The track then becomes disturbing, as a series of whispers and ambient noises end it on an eerie note. Following this is "Langage Crépusculaire"(Twilight Language) which is the longest piece on the album at twenty-two minutes. The track is an astonishing feat of sound manipulation, and features excerpts of instruments and soundscapes arranged in ways that I've never heard before. Initially, the effect is comforting. However, approximately halfway though, the overall tone becomes truly maddening. The track's conclusion is easily one of the most genuinely terrifying things I've heard in recent memory, and consists of various noises that are impossible to describe; you truly have to hear it to believe it.
The remainder of the album plays upon the theme of juxtaposition. At any given time, I was unsure what exactly I was feeling, and had to question my sanctity. There were moments where I was torn between spirituality and perverse sexuality. There were moments where I was torn between rationality and unbridled rage. All the while, I remained fascinated by Marchetti's brilliant manipulation of sound.
Upon completion of Lionel Marchetti's
Knud un nom de serpent, I felt myself bathing in turmoil, yet strangely at peace. In fact, I felt many emotions, most of which were juxtaposed. This musical piece is euphoric, yet terrifying. It is uplifting, yet degrading. It is refined, yet barbaric. Never have I, in one sitting, felt a wave of emotions so varied, yet so powerful. If you are a seasoned fan of musique concrète,
Knud un nom de serpent is an essential addition to your collection. If you are new to this style of music, start here, but tread lightly. While ultimately rewarding,
Knud un nom de serpent will test your endurance, and take you well beyond your comfortable perception of sound.
