Artist: Lisa Gerrard & Jules Maxwell
Title: Noyalain (Burn)
Genre: Avant-Garde / World Music / Ambient / Alternative
Release Date: 12th March 2021
Label: Atlantic Curve
Single Review
Seven years ago, DEAD CAN DANCE’s Lisa Gerrard, and Irish Theatre composer Jules Maxwell crossed paths for the first time and worked together on writing songs for ‘The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices’ At some point during this period they were introduced to James Chapman of MAPS and asked him if he’d produce their soon to be released album called ‘Burn’. What they wanted to create was something that was compelling, euphoric and more inventive than what they had worked on separately in the past…
…‘Noyalain’, in Jules’s own words “is the first song we created which began to play images in my mind’s eye. Widescreen images of far horizons and great landscapes. Of the living world at its most devastatingly beautiful”. All three artists are separated by the covid restrictions in their own worlds but those worlds collide on this single.
For those of you have not had any human contact in over a year, do you remember what it felt like? For those of you who have just reconnected with people you’ve not been near, how does it feel to be reconnected? This track has an undulating quality to it, like a hand stroking the back of a head or the length of an arm. The accompanying video created by Polish Director Jakob Chelkowski provokes you with its blatant acts of touching. The vocal is full of bubbling warmth and joy of reconnection along with a glassy eyed reminiscence back to when you last felt this feeling.
It no longer feels one of those things you take for granted, until you’ve got so used to the reconnection you take it for granted! The interplay of the male and female vocals conjures up the image of flames gyrating around each other whilst water droplets fall to temper the heat. Elephants never forget. For some this seared memory of connection to others is as strong as hunger, even stronger in some cases. ‘Noyalain’ may also remind some of a time of intensity that lockdown relieved. Again, the elephant never forgets. What is clear is that for one 12-month period in our lives, isolation and disruption to normal taken for granted routines has caused many changes within each and every one of us whether we like them or not.
I await with awakened curiosity for the release of the album, ‘Burn’ on May 7th.
Tracklist
01. Noyalain
Line-Up
Lisa Gerrard – Vocals
Jules Maxwell – Keyboards and compositions
Website
https://www.lisagerrard.com / https://julesmaxwell.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Sound: 8
Music: 8
Total: 8 / 10
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