Innovative composer and former Anathema frontman Vincent Cavanagh will be well known to fans of modern progressive rock. Fuelled by a passion for innovation, his latest project, The Radicant (named after a botanical term) allows him the freedom to explore new media and technologies as he prepares to release the debut EP We Ascend.
Opening with the title track, it is immediately apparent that the EP sets out to be an immersive experience crafted to conjure striking images that will seamlessly complement the visual artistry foreseen in a live setting. Lamenting piano and a crackling but hypnotic static-like rhythm wastes no time in creating an uncertain but somehow compelling atmosphere. Distant female vocalisations by Sarah Derat repeat the phrase Lift me up, continuing once Cavanagh’s utterly beguiling voice begins. Joined by a metronomic beat, indicating the passage of time, the voices combine in glorious harmonies and a swath of lush synths add another layer of dramatic tension. Unveiling slowly over its initial minutes, soon after the four minute mark, more insistent keyboards start to build as each sound begins to coalesce. Disturbing minor keys and a discordant aura threaten to explode until in the last ten seconds of the track, they resolve in harmony once more.
For a few moments, second track Zero Blue (NSS Mix), opens with quiet pulsations until drum and bass influenced rhythms begin with an energetic vibrancy. Exploring ideas of unity, disillusionment and yearning, Zero Blue oscillates between a desire for connection and a recognition of its possible impermanence. We're all in this scene and we are one / All in this scene we've forgotten how / We're all in this scene and we are one / Only a dream all said and done / It's all in a dream where we are one, Only a dream. Embodying Cavanagh’s artistic philosophy, Zero Blue offers the listener a completely different experience to the title track, juxtaposing its sombre commentary on the human condition with infectious dance grooves and repeated lyrics. Commenting on the diversity of the EP and how it links to his outlook on life, Cavanagh states, “There is no single root. Your origins are multiple. There is no final destination but just a way you’re inventing for yourself.”
Anchor combines the sounds of the first two tracks, exploring some similar sounds to We Ascend in its first half and revisiting the propulsive drum and bass of Zero Blue in its latter half. Cavanagh is determined to challenge what might be expected of him but what cannot be denied is how haunting and enchanting his soaring, ethereal vocals remain. Cavanagh has been building towards such a release for several years following his collaborations with Rachel McRae and Sarah Derat on Digital&Dead in 2017; his AI driven pieces featured in exhibitions in 2018 and in a further partnership with Derat in 2023 - RƎTRO/GRADƎ (a 360º immersive audio installation and performance incorporating volcanic field recordings, AI voice synthesis, and choreography by Georgia Tegou).
Fourth track Wide Steppe is an exercise in patience developing across several different musical sections. Firstly, extremely distant synths flutter gently as a vocal motif ebbs and flows, steadily gathering momentum and volume. Two minutes in, the crystalline voice of Amy Wood begins to circle high above, like a bird climbing ever higher into a clear sky as she reaches some heavenly notes. Synths embark upon a trajectory of more insistence and are soon joined by throbbing steady beats. Cook’s voice continues to allure as the sounds amalgamate, eventually dissipating in the last forty seconds of the track leaving it as it began. We Ascend ends with Stowaway, incorporating a little of everything that has come before. Moments of quiet introspection blend faultlessly with ominous moments of deep bass as the track progresses. Several voices intermingle, supporting each other in their narrative.
Polished in its production, the EP’s overall sound is testament to the close collaborative relationship between Cavanagh and critically acclaimed French producer Ténèbre. While far removed from the alternative progressive rock of their latter albums, fans of Anathema seeking out this project will still find much to enjoy in the vocal aspects of The Radicant’s debut and those who revel in the more ethereal aspects of the band’s musical atmospheres will also find themselves drawn to it. We Ascend is an EP made with a love of experimentation and in this, it fully succeeds. It will appeal to people with a love of cinematic electronica, ambient music as well as listeners who are willing to devote time to extract everything that it has to offer. Creative, enticing and engrossing.
We Ascend is released on 12th July 2024.
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