[reviewed by: Andrew Dns Dienes]
Dreams and illusions, two ethereal concepts that often intermingle in the realm of music, are captured with profound elegance in the form of picturesque imagery. The portrayal of vivid scenes, landscapes, and scenarios can serve as a gateway to the subconscious, allowing listener to traverse the boundaries of reality and dive into the depths of the mind’s creations. Quite often the composer becomes this incredibly special guide to uncover for the listener the landscapes of imagination hidden inside the infinite worlds of illusions created during transcendental journeys. And today it is the turn of Letum, a dark ambient project from Lindesberg, to open wide the gates of sound exploration through the subconscious desires and fears, exploring the human psyche.
Since 2001 Mathias Henriksson aka Letum conjures visions of emotion, thought, and sensation that transcend the boundaries of ordinary existence. His new album “Dreams and Illusions” is presented on Cyclic Law label and exploits the best techniques of extremely cinematic origins blurring the line between reality and illusion. Mathias does not frequently indulge his devoted fans with the new material, sometimes the pauses between his albums are quite long, therefore they are especially valuable and eagerly anticipated with a particular excitement.
With the first sounds of the album, it becomes clear that I hold in my hands something special and sacred. The opening track offers an avenue for exploring the limitless possibilities of dreams and illusions, transporting the listener to worlds where one encounters fantastical realms and surreal experiences. The sound of this composition is very dense, a heavy drilling effect accompanies a quite obscure cyclic melody while a lot of things are happening in the background as well. In the “Boundaries of Consciousness” the composer creates a dynamic interplay between the perception of hypnotic and calm dreaming and the heavy burden of a worst nightmare. These realities can chaotically mix in our dreams, and the author accurately captured the nuances injecting them into the crafty current of the floating background melody, penetrating cold and distorted wave of a creepy sound. These emotional opposites are present in every track, they coexist in a constant balance, dancing in the ecstasy of symbiosis, slowly fading away, and returning with renewed energy.
The atmosphere becomes more symphonic and even solemn as the listener reaches “Out-of-body Experience” composition in which the contrast between the opposite feelings dulls a bit in favor of a broad sense of ambience and wide soundscape of nostalgia and melancholy which can easily capture human imagination while dreaming. With every movement and modulation, the listener uncovers new perspectives in this dense flow of sound and finds a sort of relief in “Thoughts of The Morning Sun to Calm My Heart” composition. A lighter floating melody fills the space of the room covered with soft touches of cracking effects like first rays of light that fall on the floor during the early minutes of dawn.
As soon as the listener reaches “The Roar of Death,” he is being carried by the most hypnotic, very deep, and meditative wave of sound navigating through the boundless expanse of the human spirit. A background hum rises and falls guided by a distant light melody creating an atmosphere of extreme desperation and grief. To finalize this incredible disk, there should have been a solid, monumental track, and Mathias serves it indeed. “This is Farewell” becomes a portal to the last images of a dying soul filling the space with a profound sense of transition injected by a choral singing, perpetuating a poignant and solemn moment with a wide ambience.
Through the alchemy of the album “Dreams and Illusions,” Letum brings life to the ineffable, transforming emotions and ideas into a language that transcends the limitations of words. The sixth in count, this album becomes the most cinematic and conceptual between them, unveiling the full potential of the composer’s imagination and creativity, and allowing listeners to wander through the realms of their own subconscious. In the union of dreams and illusions, music becomes a mirror reflecting the complexity of human experience.
—
Letum – Dreams & Illusions
Cyclic Law, 230th Cycle
CD/Digital 2023
Santa Sangre 