Driving towards ascension
Ben Chisholm, responsible for Chelsea Wolfe’s synth, bass, piano and electronics, and Felix Skinner of Wreck and Reference acclaim team up to create Burgeoning Verse, a collaborative album that subverts typical Californian pop melodies for a contemplative instrumental work instead. Though Chelsea Wolfe’s vast fandom spans from metal-heads to folk lovers, not many know about the man who has been with the band since 2010. Whether it be contributing to the demo creation process or creating the instrumentals in the studio or filling in for their guitarist, Chisholm has proved to be an indispensable part of creating Chelsea Wolfe’s sound. Felix Skinner, on the other hand, stands center-stage with Wreck and Reference bandmate Ignat Frege to create electronic-flavored metal that is both introspective and hard-hitting.
Even their method of collaboration was representative of this love for electronica – instead of being limited by financial or physical means, they opened themselves up to the endless world of virtual opportunities. They worked from separate remote locations and equipped themselves with simulated “vintage guitars, drums, bassoons, analog synthesizers and boutique effect pedals,” all available with the touch of a button. Though Chisholm and Skinner initially fretted about the album’s overly-digital quality, their woes are ungrounded. Burgeoning Verse sounds like the sonic manifestation of the ambiguous space between our reality and the virtual one we have at our fingertips.
Immediately with “I,” Chisholm and Skinner unveil the sheer elegance they have created by staying between the boundaries of acoustic and electronic instrumentation. It opens with light, atmospheric feedback that is joined by a solemnly gentle piano. What sounds like a chorus of heavenly ahhs eventually seem closer to some kind of synthesizer. The different melodies loop over one another so meticulously that each’s individual qualities have the time to shine through. The piano fades out, supposedly bringing the song to a close until everything comes back with tenfold intensity and countless other textures which persist until the true end of the song. “I” kicks off Burgeoning Verse with a bang so soft, yet multifaceted, that it’s difficult to not lean in for more.
Similarly, “IV” is an experimental rock ballad that meanders its way into an explosive percussion-backed passion project. The piano chords at the center of it all vibrate and echo around distant strings or synths. What starts out as steady wooden taps break out into punchy and climactic drums that accompany the piano chords, now sharp and assured. Because “IV” started off on such a slow foot, the increase in tempo brought enough momentum to push listeners to an elated satisfaction.
Though these songs had quite hard-hitting climaxes, none of them compare to the melodrama of “VI.” Majestic lo-fi strings ring as the song starts, surrounded by a droning horn and a deeper, different string melody. To this, Chisholm and Skinner add percussion that at times sounds like a knuckle knocking on wood and at other times like it is electronic. All of a sudden the strings become extremely intense and upfront, followed by a harsh squeal akin to pressing the bow on the strings too firmly. They create a menacing mood from these sounds alone and add even more maliciousness by adding a piano playing a sour descendant scale. “VI,” in all its gritty textures and ominous elegance, creates the same feeling of dread that a horror movie victim would feel as they are lost in a never-ending maze. When the string melodies dissipate, all that can be heard is that kettle-pot squeal, the sour piano and the droning horn. These cacophonously satisfying noises eventually give way as the strings emerge once more, though from a much greater distance than they were before. Sci-fi beeps and underwater whooshing pass by until everything disappears save for an ambient hum and distant, rumbling percussion. Within four minutes and thirteen seconds, Chisholm and Skinner have created an epic that is equal parts terrifying and irresistible.
With Chisholm and Skinner starting their collaboration in 2013, Burgeoning Verse has spent more than half a decade waiting to see the light of day. Even so, its elegance and luster cuts through, proving its timelessness. It relies on neither fad nor gimmick to achieve its beauty. Rather, Burgeoning Verse uses its meticulousness and attention to detail that is leagues and leagues ahead of its contemporaries. Chisholm and Skinner are extremely humble enough to call it “music for driving to.” While this statement captures the contemplative aura of this album, it grossly understates the value of the craftsmanship Chisholm and Skinner have put into its construction. Every single song on Burgeoning Verse can be outlined and acknowledged for every single facet.
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