Psychedelia

Album review

Irish composer Ed Bennett was born in Bangor, Co.Down. His music, which has been described in the press as "anarchic" (Irish Times), "stunningly intense" (The Quietus) and "thrilling" (Gramophone) is often characterized by its strong rhythmic energy, extreme contrasts and the combination of acoustic, electronic and multimedia elements; it was described in The Guardian as "unclassifiable, raw-nerve music of huge energy and imagination".
This new album focuses on a number of Bennett's larger-scale works. In Freefalling – inspired by Felix Baumgartner's 2012 world-record freefall – the music plays on the sense of falling at high speed. The sound is propulsive and heaving, with hammering cymbals, drums, brass and strings. It's an exciting and intense ride! The title piece, Psychedelia, was premiered in 2017 by the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra with Thomas Adès conducting. It builds slowly from a solo violin open E string, to a whole orchestra "losing itself in a sea of rotating pulses and patterns".
Bennett's own ensemble Decibel perform Song of the Books for solo cello, electronics and amplified ensemble. It uses the Irish traditional air Amhrán na Leabhar as its basis, which laments the loss of a cherished collection of books belonging to poet Tomás Rua Ó Súilleabháin (1785-1848). Magnetic is a buzzing and fizzing 8-minute essay for bass clarinet and prepared piano, and closing the album is the bombastic Organ Grinder for midi organ and an ensemble of brass, wind, percussion, and electric and bass guitars. © NMC Recordings