This is the yearly birthday video. Only once a year, because really, writing is my thing.
Currently listening to:
I’ve discussed Sebastián Santa María (along with my friends’ wedding) here.
And over here I talk about The Blue Nile, Paul Buchanan and most every artist I mentioned in the description above. That leaves me with Klangkarrussel and Giiven, whom I listened to non-stop last year.
Klangkarrussell is an Austrian Electronic Duo formed in 2011. About five years ago, they teamed up with Givven, a Dutch songwriter and singer who “has gun will travel” and works with different electronic acts.
You do know that some folks will criticize Electronic Music as not really being music? I beg to differ. It depends on the type of electronica we’re discussing. Some producers will actually “compose” music, will arrange it, will lovingly craft it. Others will just mix beats and tempos and create forgettable tracks that will die out as easily as they were born. Tracks in bad taste, disposable and offensive (at least to my ears).
Klangkarussell and Givven’s collaboration (a musical study on the death of love, be it by death itself or separation; the not wanting to let go, the grief; the post letting-go and finally, the moving forward) is so wonderfully made.
They began this musical trilogy about five years ago with “Ghostkeeper”, a dramatic, billowing track. Ghostkeeper is bursting with swirls on top of a strong beat - circular is the only way I can describe it. The tension swells up to lush clouds of spiraling sounds that are almost hypnotic. Just close your eyes and listen to the final minutes of the track and “be transported” is all I’ll say. And Givven’s ethereal vocals are perfect. The denouement is beautiful.
Afterglow (2024) is the second release in the Trilogy (also featuring Givven): a lengthy track, a bit of a darker mood, pensive beats. Afterglow is what meteorologists call the last waves of pink and whitish hue left behind after a sunset (beautiful imagery). It’s a twilight phenomenon that happens because of dust particles in the stratosphere scattering sunlight -all this creates a breathtaking glow.
Afterglow also spirals for a moment, sounding almost religious, reminding me of a cathedral organ, only to go back to pensive beats.
And finally, Petrichor (2025), the scent of the earth after rain; a renaissance. “I’m standing at the fault line, but I’m ok,” Givven sings. Grief, loss and the assembly of the self has brought us to Petrichor, an experience of being grounded, feet firmly planted on the earth, a moving forward with what was learnt.
Petrichor, just as Ghostkeeper and Afterglow are about building tension, swirling that feeling around, in an almost-trance and then the closing, the denouement. They seem to be structured like a story: introduction, plot and conclusion -in musical format.
Truly special stuff.
Buenos Aires of the week:
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