New Idea April 24, 2017

The 1980s were a special decade for metal, where the genre was specially more open-minded and inventive. Acts such as Queensrÿche and Crimson Glory took metal to realms it was completely new to, and their sound was very influential for many modern musicians. As a logical consequence of that evolution, other bands seized the roots of that metal-esque songwriting and delved further into what their forefathers did, adding some uniqueness and searching deeper for a less accessible sound. That was the dawn of the sub-genre we all know now as progressive-metal…

Tessellatum is an album and a film, with music composed by Donnacha Dennehy and animation by Steven Mertens, performed by violist Nadia Sirota and viola da gamba player Liam Byrne. The film and the music both work with the idea of man vs. nature. Steven Mertens’ electric animation toggles back and forth between man-made geometric perfection and the natural oddness of the deep ocean. Donnacha Dennehy’s addictive timbres move between tuning systems created by humans and the ones found in natural resonance. As a result, the two works of art support and enhance each other, using the same form and structure to create an incredibly moving work of art.

Tracing the musical heritage of the Caribbean, Zara McFarlane explores her interconnected vision of the diaspora.