The EP Animent is a combined work of Mìchèal, previously of Broken Bird, Vicente Ribeiro of We Know a Place, and Vanessa Coelho. This was a deliberate attempt to minimise the use of words to allow the spirit and imagination of the audience to run with the imagery it contains.

It's an essentially soul journey into the four corners of the world, definitely elemental from the Forests Heart Skogarhjarta to the west influenced Vestrid.  Sudor is a calling to the shores of the South & the warning of not being aware As we Sleep contained in Svo Vid Sofum. Definitely cinematic music. Inspiring.

Animent

Sudor

"Turning and turning in the widening gyre
The falcon cannot hear the falconer;
Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold" - W.B. Yeats

Theses are the opening lines of Yeats profound work. Although written after the First World War it is as true today as it was then. 

Changes are coming, the institutions we know are crumbling. 
What have we let loose?

---

This track is part of my new EP, "Revelation".

I am never sure if we choose the art we like or if it chooses us. "The Second Coming" by the poet W.B. Yeats has always been significant since I heard it at college. Maybe because of having grown up in Ireland as the son of a Royal Navy Commander during the times of the troubles there, or whether it was deeper than that, as it spoke to my soul. 

I'm certain that we are in a time of change like no other now and as I look around it's pretty much all I can see, from Pandora's hand touching the last remaining spirit of hope as all the evils are set free in the world to the potential of a new beginning. I am certain that whatever comes next it is because we choose to create it. 

For 6 months I buried myself in my studio and went travelling. literally and metaphorically. I met a very lovely witch in Devon who is convinced that in the making of this collection of music I was actually at the scenes of what I was describing. 

This is certainly true of the title track Revelation. The execution of the Bab in Tabriz seems to be the start of the old order giving way, sped up during the world wars and now... 
 with our technology and abilities to make wonderful things we still fight over land, ideas, and throw rocks at each other. 

Personally I'm sick of all of it. This EP, this collection is my response.My Guernica, if you like.

It was fitting then to meet with Anastasia, a musical artist and vocalist also troubled by what is happening. I heard her voice and in it I could hear hope. As beautiful, simple and elegant as it is, this fragile emotion that she holds so well was put to music in Innocence Reborn.

Of course things can never be the same again... innocence on its own isn't enough, You can't do anything with it but it can speak to our higher sense of self and I hope I have described at least in part some of my journey in this regard.

I didn't want this EP to be pleasant or easy listening. I wanted to grab the listeners attention and not let go. It feels important.

When recording it, the visual images were there, as if I had really journeyed somewhere, so I hope I have brought something back.

Revelation

The Fall

Animent is a fusion of Nordic folk with neoclassical & industrial sounds using Norse instruments & voice. This music resonates and builds itself within the mind of each listener to create sonic landscapes that we can all share.

Shamanic percussion, tagelharpas, spirited melodies and deep throated sounds create emotive land scapes full of passion, desire and hope.

Inspired by the tonal voices of the tagelharpa, a vision began to fuse elements of neoclassical, industrial and spiritual influences. Not tied to only Nordic roots Animent's music is drawn from the sounds of the Middle east, Africa, and the far east.

Animent's music is a timely reminder that we live on one planet and share one human experience.

The Fall

Animent

Related tracks