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Alchemic by Jarboe review
- 1. 1 ALCHEMIC “ Alchemic appeared in 2009 in the aftermath of MahaKali and the subsequent spate of releases exploring spiritual systems: DaksinaKali, Durga & Her Smile of Radiant Vengeance, Ugra and Skullgirl.
- 2. 2 Although Alchemic and Skullgirl share the same songs on a spiritual theme inspired by the Buddhist Tonglen meditation, they differ in style and tenor. By means of fuller instrumentation and elaborate ornamentation, Jarboe transformed Skullgirl’s experimental matrix into postmodern baroque within the ambient industrial trance genre.It’s not simply a case of the earlier release being a demo or “unplugged” blueprint for Alchemic. Intricate vocal interactions and polyrhythms as ingredients of the trance-like sequences characterize both albums but the atmospherics of the two works also diverge. There is, for example, the pronounced oriental flavour of Skullgirl. On the Alchemic CD the tracks are listed in Latin numerals, unworthy of the songs. The song titles on Skullgirl are thus indispensable for identifying, assessing and contextualizing the individual tracks: I Tonglen II Just For Today III Groundless Humility IV Ascending Now V You’re Here VI Joyful Sorrow VII Is This a Portal? VIII Jump into the Fire IX Reprise of Joyful Sorrow
- 3. 3 The opening number I Tonglen is a stately orchestral movement commencing with strings, piano and dreamy vocalizing over a slow drumbeat. Jarboe’s spoken, sung and whispered vocals are integral to the ambient texture, seamlessly fusing with the instrumentation. An atmospheric birdsong effect adds magic to the mix, followed by the recital of the meditation which crowns and concludes this enchanting track. The Tonglen technique involves inhaling negative energy, transforming it in the heart, and exhaling compassion as healing energy. On the second track, II Just for Today, acoustic guitars, keyboards and strings take up a simple but engaging melody over gently undulating rhythms. The dreamlike quality of the lead vocal is enhanced by sighs, whispers and effects. Finally a flute engages the strings and keyboards in a movement that becomes totally intoxicating, illuminating the message of the song in the context of the album’s theme.
- 4. 4 III Groundless Humility opens with a high pitched chime which resonates with Jarboe’s singing and chant-like vocalizing. The sense of urgency thus evoked within a framework of solemn keyboards and volleys of squalling, droning guitars, gives this piece a ritualistic air. The final waning of the chimes, keyboards and vocals triggers a dronestorm with the force of a thousand tamburas. As this roar in turn recedes, a chorus of talking drums with haunting human undertones arises for a final jig before the end. The vocal aspect of the drumbeats leaves an eerie impression. IV Ascending Now features gentle guitar jangles and churning percussion steadily morphing into ornate rhythmic patterns. Jarboe’s speaking & singing voice affirms the sovereignty of the soul against the tyranny of emotion, in other words the individual’s right to reject the rule of feelings. Radiating reassurance, it has a potent uplifting effect.
- 5. 5 An intro of lilting rhythms opens V You’re Here, a rumination on the primacy of impermanence. The harmonic, melodic and percussive tapestry of II Just for Today reappears with a set of affirmations as a healing theme. Further layers of sung and spoken vocals expand the sound until it’s crowned by a series of appealing trumpet blasts. A barrage of rock guitars, feedback and dynamic beats make VI Joyful Sorrow a solid wall of sound. The multitracked vocals seem to be filtered, processed or otherwise adapted to match the music’s compact texture. As it unfolds some elements start differentiating themselves from the unitary sound. Synth lines become distinct, detach and swirl along their own trajectories to soar above the din of guitars and drums. VII Is This a Portal? Skittering percussion contrasts with slow emphatic guitar strums and symphonic synths throughout the track. A brief recital of questions is followed by atmospheric birdsong and nature effects. The coda consists of the whispered repetition of one of the questions. A clanging metallic beat marks VIII Jump Into The Fire as prime industrial dance. After nearly two minutes, Jarboe’s robust multitracked vocals join the buoyant rolling rhythms. A burst of maniacal laughter which appeared at the beginning now returns, first at rhythmic intervals and then - to striking effect - in alternation with a sample of ringing bells. IX Reprise The album closes with a brief a cappella reprise of Joyful Sorrow.
- 6. 6 How best to define Alchemic in the context of the post-MahaKali releases and Jarboe’s oeuvre in total? To recap, Durga is primarily a work of atmospheric instrumentals properly called sonospheres as vocals, effects and instruments merge and overlap to an inseparable extent. In contrast, verbal expression is essential to the ritualistic DaksinaKali with its sung, spoken and chanted invocations, mantras and meditations. The theme of the aforementioned albums, like that of MahaKali, highlights the destructive aspects of the supernatural and the chthonic impulses of the shadow, whereas healing is the theme of Skullgirl and Alchemic. Tonglen is devoted to restoration by transforming cruelty into compassion and destruction into restoration. Structurally, Alchemic encompasses the entire spectrum from sonosphere to song. A track like I Tonglen combines the elements of the sonosphere as found on Durga with the verbal expression prevalent on DaksinaKali. III Groundless Humility represents ritual while VIII Jump Into the Fire is a perfect blend. Alchemic’s forms of verbal expression include singing, recital, chants, whispers and mantric affirmation. Stylistically, the baroque textures of Alchemic bring to mind some of Jarboe’s earlier and later work. Tracks like VI Joyful Sorrow and VIII Jump into the Fire hark back to the dance mixes of the Warm Liquid Event EP (1993) and the reissue of Beautiful People Ltd. Ambient elements on II Just For Today and VII Is This a Portal? echo aspects of tone poems like Circles in Red Dirt on Anhedoniac (1998) and Realm on Indemnity (2012).
- 8. 8 Jarboe @ The Range Place Vocalist Research and Discussion “A chameleon voiced singer, Jarboe La Salle Devereux (if that is indeed actually her name) was as much an influence on Swans as they were on the no-wave and experimental scene when they first arrived. Her arrival pushed Swans in a more gothic direction as opposed to their earlier industrial beatings. A classically trained singer, upon her discovery, she was promptly "untrained" by equally enigmatic Swans frontman Michael Gira. As a result, behind her bizarre, unorthodox and often times completely unhinged performances lies a deep, completely conscious understanding of her voice, though it now also comes complete with a distinct southern drawl. Jarboe displays perfect intonation and control right through her upper register (that is, of course, when she isn't shouting, howling, screaming, muttering, exhaling profusely, etc.). Her tone in her upper register is surprisingly bright, yet simultaneously heavy, a quality she is very capable of switching on and off for effect. Her breath control is impeccable, capable of very impressive and steady sustain of notes throughout her register. Probably trained as an alto (at a guess), she darkens very early, normally around D4 but at times even as high as E4, giving her immensely heavy resonance around the upper 3rd octave. This very heavy and early use of it, however, seems to impede her ability to dip much lower than E3, though she is undoubtedly capable of doing so.” https://therangeplaceweb.com/ http://therangeplace.boards.net/thread/1162/jarboe http://therangeplace.boards.net/board/4/vocalist-research-discussion Review written and document compiled by Pieter Uys 2017.