Why should you give “Listen” a chance? The 2015 album Lucid Planet, which bears the band’s name in a highly creative way, is worth a sermon in itself, as each track builds on the others beautifully, not to mention the complexity of each of them individually. I think there is no better proof of this than the opening track itself. With its eight minutes, it is perfectly suited to draw you into this psychedelic atmosphere, which is at the same time ancient and almost tribal.
The intro unfolds step by step, and among the instruments that slowly enter the mysterious buzz, the drums are perhaps the most fundamental source of all the wonders. The rhythm unleashes instincts measured to a rhythm, while the melody, which rises and grows ever more sharply in between, delights. The almost inaudible murmur of the vocals at the beginning is a clear proof of the fact that there is no other option here but to get completely lost in the music.
Just when the lyrics seem to make themselves heard, you think you’re at the peak, but halfway through the song, they suddenly stop, and then a different mood takes over from the previously liberated rhythm. The vocals, still very elegant at this point, take centre stage, complemented by the guitar. The sound is almost overwhelming, which shows a surprising variety, because we know that this state of mind cannot last, a new phrase is about to begin. A new quietening gives way to a real culmination. Even the vocals are no longer restrained, and the instrumental becomes much heavier and more intensive. It feels as if we are listening to a different track, but it is this power that is needed, when suddenly, almost painfully, all the sounds are cut off, waiting for the album to continue, showing us the possibility of entering some new, varied universe…
Genre: Psychedelic progressive djent, tribal
Band: Lucid Planet (AUS)
Song: Listen
Album: Lucid Planet (2015)
Lyrics:
Submerged, now ready To wash away this mask Submerged, and crawling Away from everything that has passed I will follow you Guided by whatever you may bring Listen to your slightest breath Keep me warm and let me heal Don’t leave me hanging broken On the edge Call me to you From where I’m meant to be Lead me to your side Far beyond the way Far beyond the way, never knowing how far The way to break, escape Don’t know where you are But I feel you leading me Throughout this sanctuary Are those who seek to take And let it burn
What should you know about “Lucid Planet”? First of all, although there are three main members of the band (Michael Box, Darcy Rank and Luke Turner), many other artists are mentioned as being part of and contributing to the formation. This can’t be a coincidence, because the extremely special and spectacular visuals are referred to as almost as important an element of Lucid Planet as the sound itself. David Faulkner, a.k.a. Mr. Crystalface, adds to the band’s spirit with stunning artworks that I would love to see in exhibitions. But back to the musical brilliance, their aforementioned Lucid Planet album was followed by a perhaps even more polished and mature one in 2020, II, which went on to win huge recognition in the music scene, winning Best Progressive Metal Album, Best Album Cover and Biggest Surprise at the Metal Storms Awards that same year, making them the biggest winners of the competition at the time. No wonder, as there is a real professionalism in everything they put out. I can only hope, as a sincere fan, that they will soon surprise us again, and that they will be able to keep the bar set high, if not raise it.
Here’s how they would summarise the meaning of Lucid Planet:
“Though undoubtedly we can view planet Earth as an inanimate object inhabited by lifeforms, it can perhaps more accurately be seen as a lifeform in and of itself. It is the gestalt of all that inhabit it, in much the same way that the human body is not one single life form but billions of living cells; bacteria and viruses living symbiotically in the form of a human being. While these are individual organisms, they are all interconnected and their survival lies in the survival of the host. The same could be said for our Earth. The destruction of certain elements – whether they be animal species, rainforests or coral reefs – ripples consequences throughout the planet’s balance.
When looking at the Earth in this way, one could say that it is living and conscious due to the living and conscious beings inhabiting it, working as a collective. With the use of modern technology, the inhabitants of this planet are capable of connecting like neurons in the brain. As far as we know, the Earth is ostensibly the only conscious planet in our universe. But as we sit and observe, a kind of global mind forms. As the planet continues to become more self-aware, perhaps it may reach out to other lucid planets.”
Lucid Planet: https://lucidplanet.net/
by: Fujimi & Wolfy
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