Number One of Three by The Body Lovers: A Swans Related Project, reviewed by Pieter Uys.

7/29/2019 Number One of Three by The Body Lovers: A Swans Related Project, reviewed by Pieter Uys.

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The Body LoversA Swans Related Project

The Body Lovers was Michael Gira's first project following the dissolution

of Swans. This atmospheric excursion from 1998 traverses extraordinary

psychic terrain as it meanders through alternately menacing, soothing,

harrowing, eerie, soulful, anguished and uplifting soundscapes.
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Industrial passages alternate with swirling symphonic textures but often a

particular movement incorporates widely disparate elements like mechanical

drones that give way to traditional instruments that fade in turn for solo

segments. The word "movement" is more apt than "track" since the album is

one continuous piece uninterrupted by its superficial division into 10 tracks,

although these are helpful for describing the chronological progression.

http://www.nicoleboitos.com/p/album-covers.html

The first & longest one is a wall of sound integrating polyphonic drones,

synthesizers & stringed instruments plus the ghostly hint of choral vocals

samples or synthetic constructions that lends it a spacious, astral air.
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The initial chimes and accordion of the next movement are startlingly

disturbed by Jarboe's sobbing which sounds uncomfortably authentic and

quite harrowing; upon its cessation the track turns pastoral with an acoustic

guitar playing a simple melody accompanied by flute. In the 4th movement,

the chiming pattern is interrupted by a drumming tempo so rapid that it

resembles machine gun fire.

Insect-like noises occur frequently throughout. To me they sound mechanical

althoughJarboeis credited on the sleeve notes with "trapped insect vocal."

The full cornucopia of these would be revealed on Dark Consort, her 2008

collaboration with Cedric Victor, where tracks like Black Dream II,Divine

Protection and Summoning Tigers in Dark Eden display an other-worldly collage

of mammalian, avian and insectoid sounds recorded three decades ago, before

she joined Swans. These sounds are difficult to identify or describe as they

dont fit into any known frame of reference.
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Sometimes a familiar spectrum of Swans sounds is discernible as in the 5th

movement which reflects Jarboe's spectral vocals on the oneiric or ethereal

pieces such as In My Garden fromChildren of God,Song for Dead Time from

White Light from the Mouth of Infinity, and Dream Dream &A Mystery of Faith

from World of SkinsTen Songs for Another World.

http://www.nicoleboitos.com/p/album-covers.html

I wouldnt call the music "dark ambient" as it contains episodes of tranquillityand outbursts of exultation. The crests caress the clouds whilst the troughs

reveal the murky depths of the psyche where demons still dwell. The profusion

of voice samples includes a Yippy Hi Hey chant and the wailing of a baby

(during circumcision as the sleeve notes obligingly inform us) on the

penultimate track where the only singing occurs as Gira drawls a few world-

weary lines in half-spoken vocals.
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When measured against the entire Swans oeuvre this album comes closest to

The Seer which moves even deeper into uncharted areas "where be dragons."

The instruments include accordion, bells, Celtic harp, dulcimer, drums,

percussion, piano, acoustic & electric guitars, flugelhorn & harmonica but

except during the aforementioned acoustic interludes, they are seldom

individually discernible in the mix. Number One of Three is a challenging work

that grows on you; it took me 10 years to fully appreciate it.


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Related Reading

Dark-Consort

Blood-Women-Roses-by-Skin

Music-from-the-mouth-of-infinity

A-MYSTERY-OF-FAITH-by-JARBOE

THE-SEER-by-Swans

SHAME-HUMILITY-REVENGE-by-SKIN

Die-Tur-Ist-Zu-by-Swans
http://www.scribd.com/doc/74619080/Dark-Consorthttp://www.scribd.com/doc/51788151/Blood-Women-Roses-by-Skinhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/72404599/Music-from-the-mouth-of-infinityhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/50620426/A-MYSTERY-OF-FAITH-by-JARBOEhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/104188229/THE-SEER-by-Swanshttp://www.scribd.com/doc/50616415/SHAME-HUMILITY-REVENGE-by-SKINhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/114150854/Die-Tur-Ist-Zu-by-Swanshttp://www.scribd.com/doc/114150854/Die-Tur-Ist-Zu-by-Swanshttp://www.scribd.com/doc/50616415/SHAME-HUMILITY-REVENGE-by-SKINhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/104188229/THE-SEER-by-Swanshttp://www.scribd.com/doc/50620426/A-MYSTERY-OF-FAITH-by-JARBOEhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/72404599/Music-from-the-mouth-of-infinityhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/51788151/Blood-Women-Roses-by-Skinhttp://www.scribd.com/doc/74619080/Dark-Consort

Number One of Three by The Body Lovers: A Swans Related Project, reviewed by Pieter Uys.

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Transcript of Number One of Three by The Body Lovers: A Swans Related Project, reviewed by Pieter Uys.