Through drone, primal elements and a progressive rock spirit Dualism turns psychically deep with Aidan’s own recording of guitar, bass and drums.
The far blow of heavy breathing, winds in deep night, suspense in many thoughts and dimensions, the heart races, slowly looking for a cradle of peace. The far horn is blown, suspensions in time again. Sirens lead the way, energies meet at attention; lost in consciousness. Pulsations, coming to life. The eye shifting with a heart hum that lights the way. Cymbals, revelations, life twinkles through, awakening. Slowly, the sun starts coming up, and a new morning, a contemplation, rises. Finding the voice, the expression. The tide comes back and forth, and back again. It gets faster, drums from nowhere, whistles, then smiles. Reaching a climax as gradual as ever before. Rocky guts come forward, subtle headbanging, being, grounded. And a smile.
That was “Consciousness Bridge” (23:25) and the beginning of my trippy journey with the poetic album touching upon what seemed to me like realms of “abstract” being. Aidan Baker‘s Dualism 2-CD album released early this year is based on the theory of Dualism. Through drone, primal elements and a progressive rock spirit it turns psychically deep with Aidan’s own recording of guitar, bass and drums. On another level it could turn into a guided meditation of a harmonic deep silent “nature” that is melding with ranges of sound from doom, drone, ambient and shoegaze to create six inner-journey-so-far tracks. What makes the music sound very warmish and primal is that the album comes in a matte 6-panel digisleeve including a 650g letterpress inlay card.
I wish the track names displayed with distinguishing names on my playlist, as I listened to the album I was at times lost between the two opposites or “halves” of the same-name 2-tracks. “Dualism (Body)” (10:39)—like movements under water, is soothing and fluid. Letting go and being among winds of a slow movement. With its R/L speaker body dancing, harmonic frequencies wave progressively outward. “Dualism (Mind)” (13:15) has an overall groove with the hi-hats, cymbals and the wind that comes with it is a more enigmatic treatment of the first same titled track number 1. “Dualism (Mind)” (11:15) is a continuation from (Body-1) like sea breeze, it keeps an ebb and flow for the mind in contemplation—sensing the visuals, sensing the inner movements of breath, sensing being. Its ethereal, cerebral and awakening. With radical agents of external worlds flying by every once in a while near its end. “Dualism (Mind)” (12:00) is a continuous meltdown on watery showers of melody and hi-hats, ethereal, glowing, and continuously enlightening (literally). “Consciousness Bridge” (24:09) is also quite calming and in its own element.
Dualism is available on Midira.
