Minimal yet metaphysical, Mercury is indeed a magnum opus of the imagination and psyche at the full command of substance—designating the origin of all that exists (through a divine chaos) and the lucidity of bringing those sounds of the Mercury dream to encompass all things.
Mercury is a fitting title for this past summer’s ethereal EP from Faex Optim. The Scottish musician has invoked the ancient philosophers’ prima materia, Mercury—the base of all matter—to compose a celestial beginning of all principles. Released on the Finnish/English netlabel Kahvi Collective, the EP truly lives up to its mystical name. From start to finish, the music is of the aether, and nodding beats navigate the dream-like, atmospheric synths.
“Cyclemagic” is the uplifting origin of the EP. After a introductory point of distorted radio chatter and guiding synthesizer arpeggios, Faex Optim commands the track with beautiful melodies that immediately slide over a nodding drum groove. Make no doubt, this is the underlying substance for a mysterious ambiance. The laid back feel to the track guides the listener to awareness of an otherworldly peace. Continuing with with lovely harmonizing synth leads, dark chatter, and an adeptly equalized downtempo break beat; “Summer” seemingly picks up from the first track and expands the celestial sphere out furthermore. The chill yet commanding lead of “Big Moon” seems to expand the beautiful Warp-like vibe furthermore. Every track so far has carried a certain intuitive feel; grayish hues of pads and atmospheric winds…and “Thanet Well” continues this magnum opus.
As the Kahvi site suggests, Faex Optim would be easily at home jamming alongside Boards of Canada—but the tracks are extremely catchy while maintaining a peaceful, yet authoritative melancholy. The interlude of “Little Moon” prepares us for the hypnagogic state of the mind’s eye. Tribal drums begin to hypnotically resound our movement through the cosmos as “Atlas 9” begins to further map out this beautiful dream.
Socrates, the preeminent Athenian philosopher said that his discovery of Anaxagoras’ concept of the cosmic nous became a turning point in his life. Similarly, the space-like atmosphere and shuffling beats navigate us through the mind and nature of this endlessly boundless substance.
Guided to the 7th track, “Middle Moon,” the listener’s now immortal soul is again incarnated through its forgotten knowledge and the final track “Winter” revitalizes our perception once more; continuing with lovely rising synth leads and bass once more we recover the knowledge once lost and it crystallizes into genuine understanding.
While the general theme of Mercury is navigating all parts of the Mind’s Eye until the listener reaches the catharsis, obtains genuine knowledge. The sound is so chilled out and the listener so engaged we purify our very souls with conjecture, belief, thought, and understanding.
Minimal yet metaphysical, Mercury is indeed a magnum opus of the imagination and psyche at the full command of substance—designating the origin of all that exists (through a divine chaos) and the lucidity of bringing those sounds of the Mercury dream to encompass all things.
Mercury is available on Kahvi Collective.
