Style: Dark folk, neo-folk
Primary Emotions/Themes: A mournful farewell to those lost so many years ago.
Thoughts: I have a soft spot for albums that start with an accordion. Well rather, an accordion that is not being used for polka or poppy folk songs... but rather albums that start with an accordion that explore the more sorrowful side of the instrument.
It's not very often that this happens, but when it does I'm nearly instantly drawn in. The accordion is known for being a peppy and a bit of an oddball instrument, similar to bagpipes. However it can be used to make incredibly soulful music. Music that reflects on life, or rather those who were living and now have passed on. It has the ability to channel some of the most sorrow filled notes out of all the instruments I'm aware of, and that is exactly how Fodzlepijnan begins.
The accordion is not a major part of the sound on Fodzlepijnan. It's more of an ancillary addition. The guitar is the main driver of the actual songs on the album. They teeter on the line of electric and acoustic instrumentation, sometimes sounding like they have distortion when they do not and sometimes sounding acoustic when they are not truly in that realm either.
In many ways the slow soulful strumming of the guitar reminds me of the boundaries between life and death. Much like people about to pass over, the guitar seems to exist both in the realm of the acoustic and the distorted when it plays. It's a surreal effect and one of my favorite parts of the album.
Between the guitar and the accordion the album has an incredibly dark feel to it. Continuing on the metaphor of transition periods, the album feels like the twilight before dusk. Moments of fleeting light before the darkness takes hold... and from the sound of this album it is going to be a long night.
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