Jowisz / H.ø.s.t. - "Ages of Determination" (split 2019)
Helly Cherry
Između ponosa i rovova ambijentalnog zvuka - split poljskih projekata Jowisz i H.ø.s.t. "Ages of Determination" (2019)
Vremenom sam naučio da prihvatim i ono što ne razumem ili mi ne odgovara u bilo kom pogledu, što se tiče muzike. Međutim, haos nastaje kada mi se dopada žanr muzike i sam album, ali mi je tematika potpuna nepoznanica - kombinacija istorije i militarije, koje, očigledno, ne mogu jedna bez druge. Ne znam kako da se postavim kao pacifista prema stvarima koje se tiču vojske i ratovanja, jer su van žiže mog interesovanja. Bez obzira na to, podržavam svačiji umetnički napor i trudim se da pohvatam konce, makar u muzičkom smislu, kada već drugo ne umem da rastumačim. Takođe, iz tog razloga sam odlučio da kažem po koju reč o split EP-u "Ages of Determination", poljske sabraće Jowisz-a i H.ø.s.t.-a.
Oba projekta su usko vezana za martial pokret, koji je oslonjen na klasičnu formu koračnice i drugih oblika vojne muzike, ali ga fragmenti eksperimentalne muzike, pre svega ambient-a i slojevi proto-industrial-a i noise-a čine jedinstvenom pojavom na evropskoj muzičkoj sceni. Takođe, kontekst istorije i militarije je vrlo bitan za razumevanje celog koncepta, koji u polarizovanoj svetlosti zapravo ukazuje na besmisao rata i pre svega zverstvo ideologija koje su proizvele milione ljudskih žrtava u periodu manjem od 100 godina, tačnije od 1871. do 1945. godine. Ipak, same kompozicije imaju svoje umetničke kvalitete i na muzičkom planu verodostojno održavaju taj koncept. Ono što je prisutno i kod Jowisz-a i kod H.ø.s.t.-a jesu semplovi koji naglašavaju uzavrelu atmosferu rata - preporuka je da se split ne sluša mnogo glasno, da komšije ne bi pomislile da je počelo opsadno stanje. (Šalim se, naravno).
Jowisz-ov pristup je svakako "svečaniji", uz obilno korišćenje delova izvođenja pleh-orkestara, kao i drugih pesama koje su obično vojnici pevali - ovo samo pretpostavljam i to mi je odvuklo pažnju od delova pesama koji mi se više dopadaju. Kako njegov deo albuma odmiče, zvuk se "modernizuje" od ogoljene koračnice, bogati se synth i klavirskim deonicama, sa različitim ritmičkim promenama, što svakako daje na dinamici. Ambijentalnost i eteričnost pesme "A Child of Strasbourg" je ostavila veoma jak utisak na mene, dok "Bad Omen" ima odlične momente koji liče na filmsku muziku i odgovara u potpunosti temperamentu istorijskog perioda kog obrađuje (kraj Prvog svetskog rata). Na momente se pojavljuju i drone deonice, koje su vrlo interesantne, ali na žalost, vrlo kratko traju. S druge strane splita, zvuk H.ø.st-a je mnogo abrazivniji, "jači" u meri količine noise i dark ambient uticaja, koji su, kao i kod Jowisz-a, "opterećeni" pomenutom tematikom, ovog puta, Drugim svetskim ratom, ali mi je iz tih razloga nekako i mnogo razumljiviji. Dopada mi se koncept i kombinacija dark ambient-a (koji bi sam za sebe takođe odlično zvučao), semplova poljske gerilske radio-stanice sa kraja rata i prilično kvalitetnog drone-a u začuđujuće mirnim kompozicijama, blago spuštajući adrenalin čiji je nivo u prethodnici podigao šaroliki zvuk Jowisz-a. Naspram toga, H.ø.s.t. na neki način, vraća album na "početna podešavanja", naročito u "Niedobschutz 1945", što se tempa tiče i to je upravo jedan od kvaliteta splita - u navedenim žanrovima je zaista lako izgubiti dinamiku i nit koncepta, ukoliko se ne poradi na njima, ali su oba projekta ostala na visini zadatka, međusobno upotpunjujući priču o usponima i tragedijima koje su odjeknule Zapadnim svetom.
Naziv albuma takođe slikovito objašnjava kakve burne promene su se desile na tlu Evrope, iako se, sudeći po svemu, i dalje nalazimo u vremenu koje zahteva da biramo između ideologije i strasti, između mira i sofisticiranog porobljavanja. Jedini odgovor koji nas vodi slobodi je umetnost. I andergraund, pre svega.
Nadam se da nećemo stići i do rovova ponovo, ali ako bude ustrebalo, muziku za to imamo. Takođe, "Ages of Determination" je kod mene uspešno prošao test kao uvodnika u martial vode.
Desya Lovorov
//////////
Between the pride and the trenches of ambiental sound - split EP from polish artists Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. "Ages of Determination" (2019)
With time I learned to accept the things I don't understand or that don't fit me at all when it comes to music. However, chaos begins when I like the genre of music and the album itself, but the theme is completely unknown to me - a combination of historic and military themes, which, obviously, can't go without the other. I don't know, as a pacifist, what stance to take on things related to the military and war, because I'm not interested in it. Regardless, I support the effort anyone puts into art and I try to understand it at least in a musical sense, when I can't in any other. Also, for that reason I decided to say a few words about the split EP "Age of Determination" from our polish brothers Jowisz and H.ø.s.t.
Both projects are closely connected to the martial movement, which is based on classical forms of march and other military music, but fragments of experimental music, primarily ambient and layers of proto-industrial and noise, make it a unique genre in the European scene. Also, the context of military and history is very important for understanding the entire concept, which in polarizing light shows the meaninglessness of war, and first and foremost the animosity of ideologies that resulted in millions of dead people over the span of less than a century, from 1871 to 1945 to be exact. Nevertheless, the compositions themeselves have their own artistic qualities and authentically represent that concept. What is present both In Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. are the samples that emphasize the heated atmosphere of war - I recommend you don't listen to this EP too loudly, because your neighbors might think another occupation has started. (I'm joking, of course.)
Jowisz's approach is definitely more "solemn", with a lot of samples of brass orchestras, as well as samples of songs that are usually sang by soldiers - this is just an assumption and it pulled my attention away from the parts of the songs that I liked more. As his half of the record is passing, the stripped march sound is being "modernized" with synth and piano parts coming in, as well as various rhythm changes, which add to the dynamics of the music. The ambient and etheriality of the song "A Child of Strasbourg" left a strong impression on me, while "Bad Omen" has great moments that sound like they're from a film score and completely fit the temperament of the historical period they represent (the end of World War 1). From time to time, drone sections pop up, which are very interesting, but alas, very short. On the other side of the split, H.ø.s.t.'s sound is very abrasive, "stronger" in the sense of the amount of noise and dark ambient influences, which are like in Jowisz "burdened" by the aforementioned thematic, this time World War 2, but for those reasons is somehow more understandable to me. I like the concept and the combination of dark ambient (which would sound great on its own), samples of the polish guerrilla radio station from the end of the war and some good quality drone in surprisingly calm music, lowering the adrenaline a bit after Jowisz raised it with his colorful music. In contrast to that, H.ø.s.t. in a way brings the album back to the "default settings", especially in "Niedobschutz 1945", when it comes to tempo, and that is one of the qualities of the split - in the aforementioned genres it's really easy to lose on dynamics and concept if you don't work on them, but Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. were up to the task, mutually complementing the story of the ascents and tragedies that happened in the West.
The album title paints a good picture of the turbulent changes that happened in Europe, although, judging by everything, we are still living in a time that demands we choose between ideology and passion, between peace and sophisticated enslavement. The only answer that leads us to freedom is art. And the underground, first and foremost.
I hope we don't make it to the trenches again, but if we do, we have the music to go along with it. Also, "Ages of Determination" successfully passed the test as an introduction to martial music for me.
Desya Lovorov
English translation: Petar Stojanović
Oba projekta su usko vezana za martial pokret, koji je oslonjen na klasičnu formu koračnice i drugih oblika vojne muzike, ali ga fragmenti eksperimentalne muzike, pre svega ambient-a i slojevi proto-industrial-a i noise-a čine jedinstvenom pojavom na evropskoj muzičkoj sceni. Takođe, kontekst istorije i militarije je vrlo bitan za razumevanje celog koncepta, koji u polarizovanoj svetlosti zapravo ukazuje na besmisao rata i pre svega zverstvo ideologija koje su proizvele milione ljudskih žrtava u periodu manjem od 100 godina, tačnije od 1871. do 1945. godine. Ipak, same kompozicije imaju svoje umetničke kvalitete i na muzičkom planu verodostojno održavaju taj koncept. Ono što je prisutno i kod Jowisz-a i kod H.ø.s.t.-a jesu semplovi koji naglašavaju uzavrelu atmosferu rata - preporuka je da se split ne sluša mnogo glasno, da komšije ne bi pomislile da je počelo opsadno stanje. (Šalim se, naravno).
Jowisz-ov pristup je svakako "svečaniji", uz obilno korišćenje delova izvođenja pleh-orkestara, kao i drugih pesama koje su obično vojnici pevali - ovo samo pretpostavljam i to mi je odvuklo pažnju od delova pesama koji mi se više dopadaju. Kako njegov deo albuma odmiče, zvuk se "modernizuje" od ogoljene koračnice, bogati se synth i klavirskim deonicama, sa različitim ritmičkim promenama, što svakako daje na dinamici. Ambijentalnost i eteričnost pesme "A Child of Strasbourg" je ostavila veoma jak utisak na mene, dok "Bad Omen" ima odlične momente koji liče na filmsku muziku i odgovara u potpunosti temperamentu istorijskog perioda kog obrađuje (kraj Prvog svetskog rata). Na momente se pojavljuju i drone deonice, koje su vrlo interesantne, ali na žalost, vrlo kratko traju. S druge strane splita, zvuk H.ø.st-a je mnogo abrazivniji, "jači" u meri količine noise i dark ambient uticaja, koji su, kao i kod Jowisz-a, "opterećeni" pomenutom tematikom, ovog puta, Drugim svetskim ratom, ali mi je iz tih razloga nekako i mnogo razumljiviji. Dopada mi se koncept i kombinacija dark ambient-a (koji bi sam za sebe takođe odlično zvučao), semplova poljske gerilske radio-stanice sa kraja rata i prilično kvalitetnog drone-a u začuđujuće mirnim kompozicijama, blago spuštajući adrenalin čiji je nivo u prethodnici podigao šaroliki zvuk Jowisz-a. Naspram toga, H.ø.s.t. na neki način, vraća album na "početna podešavanja", naročito u "Niedobschutz 1945", što se tempa tiče i to je upravo jedan od kvaliteta splita - u navedenim žanrovima je zaista lako izgubiti dinamiku i nit koncepta, ukoliko se ne poradi na njima, ali su oba projekta ostala na visini zadatka, međusobno upotpunjujući priču o usponima i tragedijima koje su odjeknule Zapadnim svetom.
Naziv albuma takođe slikovito objašnjava kakve burne promene su se desile na tlu Evrope, iako se, sudeći po svemu, i dalje nalazimo u vremenu koje zahteva da biramo između ideologije i strasti, između mira i sofisticiranog porobljavanja. Jedini odgovor koji nas vodi slobodi je umetnost. I andergraund, pre svega.
Nadam se da nećemo stići i do rovova ponovo, ali ako bude ustrebalo, muziku za to imamo. Takođe, "Ages of Determination" je kod mene uspešno prošao test kao uvodnika u martial vode.
Desya Lovorov
//////////
Between the pride and the trenches of ambiental sound - split EP from polish artists Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. "Ages of Determination" (2019)
Both projects are closely connected to the martial movement, which is based on classical forms of march and other military music, but fragments of experimental music, primarily ambient and layers of proto-industrial and noise, make it a unique genre in the European scene. Also, the context of military and history is very important for understanding the entire concept, which in polarizing light shows the meaninglessness of war, and first and foremost the animosity of ideologies that resulted in millions of dead people over the span of less than a century, from 1871 to 1945 to be exact. Nevertheless, the compositions themeselves have their own artistic qualities and authentically represent that concept. What is present both In Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. are the samples that emphasize the heated atmosphere of war - I recommend you don't listen to this EP too loudly, because your neighbors might think another occupation has started. (I'm joking, of course.)
Jowisz's approach is definitely more "solemn", with a lot of samples of brass orchestras, as well as samples of songs that are usually sang by soldiers - this is just an assumption and it pulled my attention away from the parts of the songs that I liked more. As his half of the record is passing, the stripped march sound is being "modernized" with synth and piano parts coming in, as well as various rhythm changes, which add to the dynamics of the music. The ambient and etheriality of the song "A Child of Strasbourg" left a strong impression on me, while "Bad Omen" has great moments that sound like they're from a film score and completely fit the temperament of the historical period they represent (the end of World War 1). From time to time, drone sections pop up, which are very interesting, but alas, very short. On the other side of the split, H.ø.s.t.'s sound is very abrasive, "stronger" in the sense of the amount of noise and dark ambient influences, which are like in Jowisz "burdened" by the aforementioned thematic, this time World War 2, but for those reasons is somehow more understandable to me. I like the concept and the combination of dark ambient (which would sound great on its own), samples of the polish guerrilla radio station from the end of the war and some good quality drone in surprisingly calm music, lowering the adrenaline a bit after Jowisz raised it with his colorful music. In contrast to that, H.ø.s.t. in a way brings the album back to the "default settings", especially in "Niedobschutz 1945", when it comes to tempo, and that is one of the qualities of the split - in the aforementioned genres it's really easy to lose on dynamics and concept if you don't work on them, but Jowisz and H.ø.s.t. were up to the task, mutually complementing the story of the ascents and tragedies that happened in the West.
The album title paints a good picture of the turbulent changes that happened in Europe, although, judging by everything, we are still living in a time that demands we choose between ideology and passion, between peace and sophisticated enslavement. The only answer that leads us to freedom is art. And the underground, first and foremost.
I hope we don't make it to the trenches again, but if we do, we have the music to go along with it. Also, "Ages of Determination" successfully passed the test as an introduction to martial music for me.
Desya Lovorov
English translation: Petar Stojanović