Since the break up of Anathema, Vincent Cavanagh has shifted his focus to creating audio pieces to accompany installations for visual artists. This particular journey began in 2017, in the year that Anathema’s final recording The Optimist was released, when he collaborated on an immersive augmented reality sculpture with Canadian artist Rachel McRae and experimental contemporary French artist Sarah Derat. Vincent and Sarah Derat continued to work together on various art projects, and more interactive audio-visual artwork projects are in the pipeline. Sarah also provides vocals on two of the tracks on this EP.
We Ascend marks the confluence of these artistic influences and Vincent’s popular music and song-writing background. The result is a fascinating blend of electronica and ambient music that has only faint glimpses of his former musical glories but conjures up some magical moments. Coming as it does a few years into this new stage of his career, We Ascend does not come across as an experimental album. The production and song-writing elements, and the recurring themes, signify a track list that has been put together with meticulous care. You won’t get the kind of immediate dopamine hit that you may be used to from the Anathema days, but Vincent’s passion for creating an immersive experience for the listener provides a contrasting but complementary route to auditory enjoyment.
The EP opens with the title track, an absorbing two-part ethereal journey that transforms from a majestic, heavenly chorus into a vaguely demonic and discordant climax. Vincent’s fragile vocal lines are accompanied by Sarah Derat’s harmonies, some dreamy synth chords, a sparse piano and a disturbingly slow metronomic beat. The tension builds as the musical chorus becomes more animated towards the end, and the story takes a dark turn leaving the ultimate meaning of the finale to the listener’s imagination. It’s compelling and artistic, and reassuringly progressive.
The second track, and the first single release, is Zero Blue (NSS mix). This more immediately accessible track features Anathema band-mate Daniel Cardoso on drums and is a regulation drum and bass workout that packs a punch, whilst eschewing the subtlety and restrained artistry of the other tracks.
The drum and bass theme is imaginatively re-used in the third track Anchor where it unexpectedly appears in the background of a more atmospheric soundscape. The track begins with an expressive vocal performance that is gradually enhanced using harmonies and effects. As Vincent’s vocal lines become more distorted the drum and bass patterns emphasise the degeneration of the opening musical themes before the track crashes to a chaotic close.
Vincent’s re-branding of his musical persona as The Radicant reflects his desire to grow and to create life by ‘setting one’s roots in motion’ (the literal meaning of ‘radicant’ being to root from the stem). Anchor is the clearest example of this theory in action, embodying the conjunction of past influences in the context of current life forces and potential opportunities.
In Wide Steppe, harmonic vocal chanting, this time provided by Amy Wood, slowly evolves into a melodic chorus via the creative addition of synth and percussive elements. In all honesty, that pretty much describes everything that happens over the course of six minutes, but the gradual and intricate layering of the various musical and vocal parts creates a stunning piece of music/art. This is clearly the sort of piece that would sit very well in a multimedia artistic setting.
Finally, Stowaway, which contains some of the most Anathema-esque musical references. From the opening piano tones and the repeated phrases used in the introduction, to Vincent’s more purposeful vocal performance, the track threatens to develop into familiar rock territory. Weather-related lyrics add to the familiarity, but in this new disguise the slow build up and the gradual addition of synths and percussion leads to a challenging, dense and complex soundscape, serving as a reminder that verses and chouses are not part of this creative vision.
For this EP The Radicant has teamed up with French producer Ténèbre who shares a love of merging ambient and modern synth and techno sounds. The outcome may be somewhat niche but it is beautifully artistic and coherent, and certainly of great interest to listeners who enjoy the raw elements of sound being put together so harmoniously and with such attention to detail.
TRACK LISTING
01. We Ascend (5:44)
02. Zero Blue (NSS Mix) (3:18)
03. Anchor (3:39)
04. Wide Steppe (6:16)
05. Stowaway (4:37)
Total Time – 23:34
MUSICIANS
The Radicant – Vocals, Instruments, Programming
Ténèbre – Instruments, Programming
Sarah Derat – Vocals (1 & 5)
Amy Wood – Vocals (4)
Daniel Cardoso – Drums (2)
ADDITIONAL INFO
Record Label: Kscope
Country of Origin: U.K.
Date of Release: 12th July 2024
LINKS
The Radicant – Website | Facebook | Bandcamp | YouTube