AMN Reviews: The Sound Generating The Self – Olivia Block: The Mountains Pass (Black Truffle 2024)

At the heart of things, all music is inherently nominalist. Will a Western listener have a similar experience to an Eastern listener when encountering the same work? Are there universal sensations at play when people are listening to the same piece of music, even though they are hemispheres apart? Will one persons glimpse of the Elysian Plains during a favorite musical moment match another who, for all we know is having lunch in the ninth circle of hell?

This non-universalist way of looking at music plays very well within the Acousmatic/EA world. I’ll use the excellent new release by Olivia Block, The Mountains Pass as a case study. There is a significant ensemble (band) sound on a decent chunk of this album but generally speaking, it sits firmly in the electro/acoustic world like most of her back catalog.

The interested listener to The Mountains Pass is immediately thrown into an imaginal heaven. The mind screams orders, directives, exclamations! The senses are on high alert, defcon one alert.

Look here…

no, look here!

Shiny object

Body?

What’s this thing called Body?

It’s about the mind… dummy.

My singular experience with this album will be my singular experience. Yours will be your’s… they may be close but they will never be identical, of that I’m sure.

The Mountains Pass is a self generating art piece. Self generating from the listeners perspective. So let’s call it “Self” generating instead. I’ve lived with this release for about three weeks now and every encounter has not only been demonstrably (as in thoughts/images/visions I can recall long after the listening session) different but… on a personal level, being impressively affected by it with each listen. That’s what I mean by “Self” generating. Art does that to a soul, and The Mountains Pass, by bringing it into the objective space fulfills this human animal demand imposed on Art.

To be honest, I struggle with the idea of mind/body. Why can’t my subjective experience of listening to “The Hermit’s Peak”, one of the longer pieces on the album be any less real than encountering the Hermit’s Peak (if there is such a place) in our real world? Afterall, and I realize I’m engaging in word gymnastics here… but my subjective experience can be looked at something that is objectively real… to me. Is there a problem that it’s not on the same dimensional plane? Works for me! You should listen.

This brings me to thinking about musicians as magicians. Can a musician be a magician? My current understanding of a magician is someone who can, through an act of sheer will create an object or set of actions that were not previously in objective existence. The keyword here might be “objective” and, in that sense you may assume a negative answer to that question. The Mountains Pass, as sublimely evocative as it is will never manifest itself as physical things you can touch, feel, smell, embody with all your physical appendages (or will it???). But Block can, and should be viewed as a facilitator of sorts. This is true of all the past work I’ve heard from her but especially on this latest release. There are moments of poiesis within this music, and those moments come fast and furious. A storm of poiesis… yeah, that sounds about right. Enchantment is everywhere.

What those moments are, I, of course, can only speak for myself and… ironically I can rarely find adequate words to describe them. Maybe that is as it should be… but I can tell you that the magical act, ritual, invocation Block has got goin on within this recording is some high order magia. This world is not disenchanted, and Olivia Block proves it.

The Mountains Pass begins with a short electronic/vocal piece. I don’t remember hearing vocals in her music before, hearing them now for the first time was a revelation. The piece, called “Northward”, for all it’s brevity is the perfect introduction. It sets a deep ecology vibe that runs through its entirety. The abstract lyrics on this track bring to mind a world ruled by Orphic mysteries, the adoration of the divine form of Mother Nature. The vocals delivered are as whispy and spectre-like as a morning mist shrouding the landscape. “Northward”, for me creates the set (as in my own mindset) and setting for what comes after.

“The Hermit’s Peak”, at 13 minutes is… in a word, heroic!

The Tarot card of the Hermit (from one of the Marseilles decks) seems tailor made to fit this piece. Tarot cards can be looked at in myriad ways with numerous interpretations but on a surface level, the Hermit is part of the 22 major arcana that represent the spiritual journey of the soul. Many readers look at them through a Jungian lens and consider them representatives of human archetypes. Following this, they are often read in relation to each other as part of a hero’s journey, or… from Jung’s standpoint, the journey towards individuation.

The Hermit, in particular often symbolizes an adept on a highly personal spiritual quest of inner self discovery. While not quite visible on the card above, he is often depicted standing on top of a mountain range signifying the attainment of an elevated awareness.

The piece “The Hermit’s Peak” opens with a short zither-like sound that melts into a stunningly beautiful chord sequence played on an acoustic piano. Big expansive chords introduce an emotionally laden clarion call that mobilizes all seekers, everywhere. Empowerment is given… the inward push “to find” has finally arrived and it’s time for action. Jon Mueller’s swelling cymbals expand the already vast tableau in front of the pilgrim, the quest is well and truly on!

Sonic landscapes gradually morph into majesty as what was once an approach shifts into a feeling of ascent. The percussion become busier and another instrument shows itself in the form of what, a glockenspiel maybe?. A harmonium-like drone also comes forward (was it always there?) as subtle stuttering electronics dance around the upward path. Dynamics grow, intensity increases as Thomas Madeja’s trumpet enters the now teeming maelstrom of sound as the snow capped crest becomes visible above the mist and clouds.

The apex is gained, Block and ensemble dynamically fade into a oneness of a well deserved rest. This Hermit has indeed reached their peak.

“Violet-Green” follows, giving us the albums second long vocal oriented work. Subtle electronic pitches along with that zither-like presence provide a rather alien fanfare that settles into the main body of the piece. The vocals seem to be less electronically treated than “Northward” but still retain a certain something that is unknowable yet, at the same time… knowable depending on your mode of hermeneutics. For me, they inhabit a liminal space somewhere between the abstract where groupings of words are the art form in itself and a darker, more menacing, but clearer message. Either way, Death… as a harbinger or catalyst for change is the vibe that I get.

The piece takes it’s time, ambling through a sparse and foreboding wasteland of quiet acoustic piano, simmering electronics lurking underneath, sustained organ chords and Block’s languid, evocative singing.

An organ led crescendo is reached indicating that perhaps there is a hope at least, of renewal and rebirth. But the lyrics, in the form of a question and the uncertainty of resolution are firmly rooted within the melancholia. For now, only hope.

“f2754” is the most driving piece on the album but it’s nowhere near the intensity of anything you would find on Block’s previous album, Innocent Passage in the Territorial Sea. Much of that material displayed an unbridled pandemonium that is not found on the more chthonian moods on this record. But, there is a very strong sense of purpose on this piece. A forward motion of progress. A continuation and determinization of this self realizing journey.

Primarily organ led, the work propels itself along with a sort of motorik purposefulness courtesy of Jon Mueller’s steady snare work. I can’t help but being reminded of the Tarot image of the Chariot here:

Even though I would never give the often used PLAY LOUD recommendation for The Mountains Pass… on f2754 I would feel comfortable by saying to at least… turn up the volume on this one! It’s anthemic and, in a way the antithesis of “Violet-Green”… it’s very optimistic.

The album concludes with the short and atmospheric “Ungulates”. That zither thing(?) makes itself heard again, only this time sounding much more synthetic. This piece has a strong Raga-like feel that shimmers in it’s own, self-created brilliance. Underneath is a powerful organ drone that imbues a sense of sheer, pure willpower. The landscape, both sonic and imaginal is cast into a star bright white light signifying a super strong portent of change.

The album concludes with a sense that this particular Hero’s journey appears to hang frozen on a precipice. A question left unanswered. Will this transformation complete itself? The Rider-Waite tarot deck depicts the Magician, a person drawing down energy from on high and drawing up a vigor from the earthly depths.

The tools of his trade are on the table, and above his head is infinity. What happens next is up to you…

I believe that keeping the past in our hearts, especially these days is important. The past I’m referring to is not necessarily our recent historical past but something much different, something much more primordial… something in the deep past. We seem to have forgotten, in our world of the faux insta-image, our complete and utter trust in a realist view of the universe… the archetypal truthfulness of a human self.

The Mountains Pass can act like a lot of things on a lot of different levels. What I saw from it will certainly not be what you see from it. It’s these unique personal moments that act as a hallmark to great art. If these moments allow a feeling within to manifest, then the art is achieving its purpose. For me, The Mountaiuns Pass works on this transcendent level and I’m forever thankful it’s out in this world.

Unconditionally recommended-start your journey

Mike Eisenberg

meisenberg1@hotmail.com