Recorded during a harvest moon amid “blood beeches, bogs, and tawny owls” on the rural estate of late artist Annette Holdensen, Anamnesis is an enthralling success from Copenhagen-based experimental chamber-folk group Homesickness.
Their second album, Anamnesis embraces an array of influences that value atmosphere and harmonious mystique — ranging from British folk to the lush intricacies of Laurel Canyon songwriting and the creative spirit of late-era Talk Talk. Lead singer and lyricist Malthe Junge describes the album as “a wish to journey into the heart of our shared humanity,” playing as an exploration of “what we do not always feel or think of but is present at all times” while making aware of how we can become “purest witnesses” to one another in sharing kindness and care.
“Urdr” opens the album with an atmospheric, immersive pull. Rain-like ambiance lingers as slithering orchestral flourishes come into view, building with tactful precision. A minimalist, haunting quality is unveiled here — and also on more patiently unfolding tracks like “Verdandi” and “Skuld,” with the latter being particularly riveting in its interacting strings and woodwinds.
These gorgeously subdued scene-setting soundscapes traverse into tracks with more expansive clarity, such as the gripping “Do You See How the Smoke Billows.” There, trickling acoustics assemble into a glimmering orchestral undercurrent by mid-point, sounding like a cross between Radiohead’s lusher constructions and Talk Talk’s art-folk intrigue. The track meditates on impermanence and the quiet ache of existence, comparing human vulnerability to natural phenomena: “That is how people are / Passing bridges so narrow.”
Another beautiful display of progressing from quaint folk acoustics into expressive orchestration, “Asunder” invigorates in its culmination into brassy movements that invoke a free-jazz sophistication. The vocals grip with lyrical depictions of enduring memories — “as wide asunder the memories we bear” — and a striving for renewal and breaking free from them: “I breathe fresh sunset mist.” The ensuing “Roses by the Creek” is similarly compelling, maneuvering between string-touched folk ruminations and woodwind-guided effervescence. Its thematic hold is a natural continuation as well, extending the meditation on grief and memory whilst exploring whether peace lies more in release, remembrance, or some combination of the two.
A particularly dynamic tonal realm is evident on the album’s title track, where poetic lyrical prowess infuses within shifts of serene acoustics and ravishing orchestration. The album title itself, referring to the remembering of things from a supposed past existence, fits compellingly within its overarching themes of memory and remembrance — specifically, the balancing act of remembering as both yearning and healing.
Album finale “I Thank Thee Whom I Found in the Hills” also builds with spine-tingling effect as chilly, jazzy keys meld with soft acoustic strums and burgeoning orchestral elements. The final refrain plays with a sense of catharsis, embracing inner peace following consistent reflections of mourning and over-encumbered memory. “I thank thee, who I found in the hills / Calmness I will choose,” the vocals let out there, complemented by nature-set references to mountains, misty air, and birds flying above in further reinforcing feelings of inner clarity. Homesickness’ Anamnesis is a consuming, introspective tour-de-force of a listening experience.
The post Homesickness – ‘Anamnesis’ appeared first on Obscure Sound: Indie Music Blog.
