A Haunting New Album from Adrianne Munden-Dixon
- R.A.G.
- 1 hour ago
- 3 min read
A new release from Adrian Munden-Dixon delivers breathtaking performances focused on the violin, and each of these pieces gives off a very unique and sonically enticing approach as they have plenty of cinematically driving and slightly haunting elements at times that come together and give the songs life.
These are beautifully composed pieces that feature new compositions from Martin Gendelman, Kimia Koochakzadeh, Gemma Peacocke, and John Thompson.Â
What comes across so brilliantly with these pieces of music is the unpredictability of where they bring you. By the time you get a few tracks and you begin to expect the unexpected, that keeps you on your toes. You know that there's going to be these different rises and fades of intensity, and that's what a lot of the songs give you.
These are compositions written to sort of expand your mind in a sense.
Some are more subtle with a bit of a vaster tonality, while others can be right in your face with a fiery and edgy tone, performing with a particular kind of energy that comes through with a huge drive. Certain tracks feature some different instrumentation, including what sounds like theremin, cello, and more, and this gives thicker soundscapes.
What's really mind-bending about this release is that these pieces can be so fiery and almost rambunctious in a sense that you get wrapped up in them.
Your mind can travel to these completely different places with each piece that you hear, and while some can make your skin crawl, others can feel strangely peaceful.
Some pieces have piccato performances aligned with some incredibly high-pitched bowed performances.
The pieces of the record that sort of creep up on you are the Martin Gendelman pieces. Again, there are four brand new pieces from the other composers mentioned, but the Martin Gendelman ones are particularly Eerie in a sense.
Some pieces can feel swarming and lush, still edgy and giving you this almost unsettling feeling, and that's what some of these are supposed to be doing.
These are pieces that come at times to change your sense of mood, make you want to look over your shoulder, and can feel not just cinematic, but very theatrical as well.
The overall sonic presence of the record is unforgettable, and if you listen to the entire release from start to finish, you will find yourself in a different place than where you began.
They're all beautifully constructed and performed with such gorgeous approaches and intensities that the whole thing has strange ways of staying with you.
Adrian, at the heart of the entire thing, puts everything she's got into these violin performances and shows such incredible range and ability to control her dynamics, style, approach, and still have such incredible emotion going into everything.
Some pieces feel like you're watching old horror movies; you get that classic chill when you listen to some of it.
Others show different elements of balance between dark and light, but it's always beautiful to listen to. Elegant violin and mood-bending soundscapes swim around you, and it's very easy to get engulfed in everything that you're hearing.
A graceful and intense release, listen to the Vision Mantra album with headphones on, as it is one of the best ways to really let it take over.