REVIEW: Vril and Rødhåd - Out Of Place Artefacts [WSNWG]
Pyrexia (lat.), noun, an abnormal elevation of body temperature. There are many things that may lead to that - from viruses to heartbreaks, and “Out Of Place Artefacts” presented by Vril and Rødhåd, is one of them. Released on WSNWG, Rødhåd’s outlet for collaborations, it creates a different atmosphere than its predecessors that were mainly fitted for clubs. While not completely unsuited for dancefloors - “Orela” s elegantly broken beats have the full potential to soundtrack a sunrise in your favorite club - it is made for deep listening. Or shall I say deep experiencing? We are not only dealing with an album here - we are taking a step into a full universe, seeing how much effort was put into the visual representation by artists such as Daniel Martin Diaz, Denis Grabe, and Michael Titze.
Rødhåd and Vril came together from 2018 on to write a concept album, fascinated by phenomena that could not belong to the time or place they were found, so-called “out of place artefacts”. Hence it is no surprise that there is a consistent mystical undertone, ranging from the chilling feeling of anticipating a disaster - “Nazca” -to an almost meditative act of redemption in “Moscovium”.
Drawn by the sweaty-palmed feeling of wanting to know what is behind a mysterious portal, the record takes you on a well-crafted journey, letting your heart race at times. The layers and textures are cognitively interesting - with every listen you can explore a new layer in each track, sinking mesmerized into their velvety depth. At times it's hard to not think about some neurological experiment or stimulation. If dissected, or listened to in isolation, some of the loops would probably annoy you as much as an MRI scan or a beeping fridge - woven together, their magic unfolds. One more proof that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. “Out Of Place Artefacts” is a mental and physical excursion, following traces of sound that sometimes sneak in via the backdoor, only to quickly hide again (“Geomantic”). That's why it is recommended to let the record take you on this journey, away from dinner party settings as its quality shines brighter free from distraction, on good headphones.
The eleven tracks borderline in between all the things behind metaphorical gates: Hovering discomfort, looming inner despair, strange universes, potential enemies (kids, better don’t do acid to ‘Procyon”!) but also seeing a light at the end of it, rising salvation and bliss.
Just like with any fever, whether physical or emotional, the trick is to keep breathing and surrender to soundscapes. Once you've reached “Kybalion”, the veil lifts, the fever fades and relief emerges. You’ve made it through. You’ve seen things. You’ve dared to deal with what’s behind the portal. The album is framed by two tracks that create a subtle feeling of witnessing the twilight of the gods. The circle is closed, and maybe you’ll even shed a tear in a moment of experiencing sublime euphoria.
“Out Of Place Artefacts” is about the unexplainable and the invisible, yet inevitable interconnection of things - without carrying the burden of having to resolve them. The strength of the album - including all its artwork - is that it mainly deals with the question of what else is there? In soundscapes and metaphorically. I am wondering if there could be one purpose of music, what would it be, if not to open that portal and ask: what else is there?
“Out Of Place Artefacts” is coming out on WSNWG on October 20 in vinyl and digital format.