End Of 1
Aenaos, 2020
8/10
A decade after his last record, the Belgian artist Jef Janssen, i.e. Art Of Empathy, returns with a very eclectic listen that surrounds themes of empathy lyrically, while musically guitars, synth and orchestral ideas unfold with an unpredictable and often dark landscape.
“Where Souls Shine Brightest” starts the listen with the sound of birds before a thick ambience enters alongside dark, whispered vocals in an ominous setting, and this mysteriousness continues to the upbeat strumming and layered folk tune, “End Of 1”.
Closer to the middle, “Legion” offers tuneful singing from both genders alongside a majestic climate of lush, cinematic sounds, while “Mind/Matter” is one of the calmest moments, where bare beauty meets a poetic quality of hazy folk ideas. “Everywhere”, a particularly notable track, then pairs a child talking with marching style drumming amid vocal harmonies that alone are worth the price of admission.
Near the end, “Cynicism Left For Dead” recruits acrobatic keys on a soaring, glorious execution, and “Hugging Strangers” exits the listen playfully, with acoustic guitar amid plenty of rhythm.
Certainly indebted to neo-folk and not without gothic tendencies and darkwave moments, this body of work is nothing if not ultra creative, as Art Of Empathy possesses to ability to mesmerize and enthrall like few others would even dare to try.
Travels well with: Clint Mansell- Stoker; Yann Tiersen- Infinity