Skyed Pillars

Cloud Opus

Written by: AZ on 28/07/2013 18:50:50

Cloud Opus deals with how emotions often control the way in which we think. We are often faced with 2 choices. One choice relies on our emotions and on our instinct, your 'gut' if you will. The other choice relies purely on logic. The logical choice is not often the right choice, but the emotional choice will definitely be the most difficult, which is why we have an ongoing fight that takes place deep within ourselves. I use certain weather types to associate with different feelings, hence, Cloud Opus.

Listen, and you will understand what I am talking about, hopefully.

On a side note: The purpose of this record is to be up-lifting.

These words written by Christian Bassett, the man behind the moniker “Skyed Pillars”, seem magnified once you play “Cloud Opus”. The five-piece record is simply magical. With length of 8 minutes and on, each track takes you on a separate adventure through its vast world. The release is not pretentious of being an extravagant piece of work. It feels more like a special, touching and honest conversation between long-time friends that haven't seen each other in years. You have so much to talk about, remembering all the memories of the past – both good and bad.

Before paying attention to some of the tracks, I want to look at the broader picture portrayed throughout all five songs. The gentle way of changing the listener's mood in each song is done by a steady build up of tension – slowly and with ease. All the shifts in the tone of the guitars and percussion seem logical and graceful. The opening title track shows this gradual ascendancy perfectly. I imagine a thunder storm when listening to it. It starts of exactly the same way – by filling the space around you with thunder. The echoing guitars that fade in are like little raindrops hitting the pavement. Little by little the fury of the weather unfolds to the point where the dark clouds roar and heavy rain flows. The dissonance of the guitars and bass make the feeling quite real. Afterwords sunlight breaks through again – which can be heard in the clear fragile and long guitar echoes.

Carrying the name of the constellation in the northern sky, “Cassiopeia” is just as dreamy, beautiful and monumental as any object in space. As if taking us on a travel to see the stars, Christian is determined to uncover as many secrets as he can on this grand journey. He adds multiple elements to the musical picture until the controlled chaos reaches its limits and the listener feels stupefied, yet calm. This feeling has much to do with what you get from “Creation”. The latter track however, is more aggressive, defined and has a punk rock feel added to it compared to “Cassiopeia” it which feels more vivid.

“Fated Children” and “Davenport Creek” are just like the memories of a man who wants to bring back those lost years of his childhood. The playful melodies suggest the lack of complications we all experience at a young age. The multi-layered guitars seem just like memories passing through a person's mind.

“Skyed Pillars” is a project that has no special target in itself. It exploits the greatest power of art – interpretation. Christian Bassett has left the listeners to decipher the meaning of his creation by themselves and for themselves. And he has left them with the most important tool for that – the choice.

8

Download: The whole EP
For The Fans Of: SoulAside, Glories
Listen: Facebook

Release Date 30.06.2013
Self-released

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