The life of the spirit may be fairly
represented in diagram as a large acute-angled triangle divided horizontally into unequal parts with the narrowest segment uppermost. The lower the segment the greater it is in breadth, depth, and area.The whole triangle is moving slowly, almost invisibly forwards and upwards. Where the apex was today the second segment is tomorrow; what today can be understood only by the apex and to the rest of the triangle is an incomprehensible gibberish, forms tomorrow the true thought and feeling of the second segment. At the apex of the top segment stands often one man, and only one. His joyful vision cloaks a vast sorrow. Even those who are nearest to him in sympathy do not understand him. Angrily they abuse him as charlatan or madman. So in his lifetime stood Beethoven, solitary and insulted. Wassily Kandinsky (1866 –1944)


Sunday, January 22, 2012

Peter Bjärgö - The architecture of melancholy (Cyclic Law)



The architecture of melancholy 



Album Review

Friends of neoclassical, martial and dark ambient have become to know PETER BJÄRGÖ as the mastermind behind Arcana and Sophia. 2009 saw the first release of his solo project, 'A Wave of Bitterness'. His second solo album, 'The Architecture of Melancholy' was released at the winter solstice of 2011. Besides backing vocals provided by former ARCANA singer Ida Bengtsson, it is a sole creation of Bjärgö, from composition and playing all the instruments to mixing the album. 'The Architecture of Melancholy' follows along the lines of its predecessor and partly also those of ARCANA, differing from the latter by its introspective nature and Bjärgö's excellent, emotive vocals being in the forefront. Common elements to both are Bjärgö's skilled, rather minimalistic composition and well-thought arrangements.

Despite bleak lyrics, 'The Architecture of Melancholy' is serene and more contented than its predecessor. Upbeat drumming, prominent on some of the tracks on 'A Wave of Bitterness', is mostly absent - instead, Bjärgö is utilising guitars more than previously, occasionally venturing to the direction of shoe-gaze. Even faint echoes of psychedelic/progressive rock can be heard. I could imagine that 'A Wave of Bitterness' might have the potential to attract wider audience, even though the difference to Bjärgö's previous work is very subtle. 'The Architecture of Melancholy' is a slow journey into the depths of the mind - perfect companion for those long winter days when dusk seems to fall before the dawn has broken...(Written by Hemi Malkki.)



Tracklist

01. The Architecture of Melancholy - 6:47
02. Bitteresque - 4:44
03. Hidden Compass - 3:59
04. Apathy - 5:08
05. A Wheel of Thoughts . 4:05
06. The Death of Our Sun - 5:24
07. Sleep_Dep.Loop1 - 10:12

Website
http://www.myspace.com/mrbjargo/music

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