Since returning to the world of music, ACL's Elden M. has been quite prolific, releasing a batch of new cassettes under his previous noise-associated moniker, while also taking on the world of rhythm-based electronic music as Avellan Cross. Although issued as Allegory Chapel Ltd., GNOSIS: Themes for Rituals Sacred & Profane draws from both of his major projects. Dissonance appears more in a compositional sense, but his use of undistorted synths is largely not something that can be danced to.
As insinuated by the title, the running theme of ritual; religious and otherwise, appears peppered throughout these four songs.Once again exemplifying his adeptness and composition and creativity, the symbolism is never heavy-handed or blunt.The twinkling synths that appear all over "Machine," mixed with a taped voice that is somewhere between psychology lecture and self-help presentation seem to encapsulate the rituals associated with new age beliefs.
"Solar Rite (For Suspension)" is the other more electronically direct piece on this cassette, and one closer to his work as Avellan Cross.Lead at first by a simple thudding kick beat and wet, heavily phased synth sequences, he morphs it into something almost danceable with added keyboards and snare drum programming.Between the title and the sound, there is a definite neo-pagan ritualistic sensibility to be heard, but wonderfully understated.
The other two pieces are a bit less conventional in sound and instrumentation, but Elden M. never allows it to drift into formless chaos."Sephiroth/Enochian Calls" features more obscured voice samples, but more of a dark and distorted low end synth backing.With that backing, buzzing nasal noises and snippets of Gregorian chant, it has a classical sensibility to it, and throughout the whole piece there is a slow descent into madness, as the overall piece becomes more and more disorienting and oblique.
On the final work, "Mata Jewels (Surah Al Alaq)," he utilizes what sounds like Islamic prayer vocals at a couple different points, all underscored by subtle and tasteful electronics.Based upon the title, the mood leans more towards the sacred than the profane, at least as far as presentation goes.I was very happy when I saw that Elden M. was reentering the world of experimental music with his two major projects, and each bit I have heard has simply solidified this excitement.Each release has lived up to my highest hopes and sounded completely unexpected, yet never has lacked his impeccable sense of structure and composition.
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