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Setting the liturgical prayers of the Christian mass to contemporary music and sing them in the original Latin would be a brave concept for anyone. To then release an album that is as respectful to its sources as it is thought provoking, and at one point literally stunning in its ingenuity , shows a great breadth of vision.
From the opening sound of his multitracked voice repeating one word, “Kyrie,” you sense you’re in for some surprises. They come in the form of ethnic percussion, heavily gated fuzz guitar, chapman stick, ethereal synth and vocal arrangement that twist and turn at the drop of a hat.
As examples, take ‘Laudamus Te,” presented as a joyful chant over upbeat drumming or “Qui Tollis,” opening as a crowd of subtle whispers before drums and voice mix with subtle synth sounds. “Quoniam” is a mantic chant joined by strings and e-bow adding more facets to the overall sound.
But it is the “Credo” which really stands out. Opening with Alicia Bell reciting it as an ‘airport paging voice’ I didn’t realize what was being said at first. As the voice becomes clearer, I’m struck with the idea of how a prayer could be ‘announced’ without people realizing it. A short orchestral interlude follows before another interpretation, this time in a choral style reminiscent of the ‘70s progressive band Gentle Giant. Fantastic.
This is an album that requires some concentration from the listener. Occasionally I feel that Matthew has taken himself too seriously and should just let rip a bit. More liner notes about how the work evolved would have been appreciated.
But throughout, the religious meaning of the text is there, presented in such a new and varied way as to make the listener consider the power of music and prayer for all religions. |
