Annemarie Borg “In Nomine Cetus” CD

Annemarie Borg, born in Paris with French/Swedish background and based in London, is the main protagonist and founder behind Antara Project focusing on strong connection between various artistic languages and the world we live in. Annemarie’s musical explorations cover a quite eclectic range of terrains, stretching from poetry/modern classical through environmentally infused euphonies to deep drone reflections. For the first time I came across Annemarie’s name around 2010 on richly flavored collaborative project Thamnos “WIR”, which featured also Tomas Weiss, but this is a closed chapter. “In Nomine Cetus” CD, self-released during June 2014, is, I believe, 5th album by Annemarie Borg, including above mentioned Thamnos and “Breaking Through” compilation presenting tracks, collaborations, poetry and visuals by various artists such as Bruno Sanfilippo, Aes Dana, Nicolas Meier, Marc Yeats, Ann Schmitz, Keith Farnish, Philip Wells and others. The other two are “Secrets”, a classically orchestrated collaboration with John Wilson (2003) and first solo album by Annemarie, ambient/drone/contemporary driven “Iridescent Perceptions”, released at the end of 2012. Back to “In Nomine Cetus”, as mentioned in the liner notes, the album is dedicated to all Cetaceans across the oceans and the Island of Hawaii.

“Clamo Oceanus” reveals this fascinating odyssey with deeply submerging dronescape, enhanced by assorted whale sounds ranging from eerily emerging to transcendentally shrilling, while continuously guarded by Annemarie’s moaning voice magics and surrounded by soothing sounds of ocean waves. Graciously immense cover images of 4-panel disc eco wallet (pictures and artwork by Annemarie) closely interweave with symphoniously encircling faint underwater zones. 13-minute “Closer In The Distance” safely cruises through magnificently graceful horizons, hauntingly colored with natural subtleties, deeply evocative voices and bioacoustics, and serenely nuanced epic climaxes. Colossally majestic masterpiece!!! “Lacrime” is filled with orchestral sadness, cautiously meandering and crescendoing through touchingly elegiac expressions. No wonder, this composition brings into the spotlight Japan’s controversial annual dolphin slaughter, which begins in the infamous town of Taiji in September and lasts until the end of February.”L’Adieu Au Jour” dives deeper into the unfathomable depths, where massively monochromatic drifts are bridged with intangible voice-like drones and diverse repertoire of singing Cetaceans. Fascinatingly intense and monumental, before inconspicuously transmuting into warmly cinematic and captivatingly expansive realms melted with some hazy piano fragments and pierced with additional underwater dissonances. This might be the pinnacle of the whole album, a truly magnificent listening experience!!! It’s a pity here and there the track is permeated by some unwanted hiss. “Miserere” unfolds with bizarrely circling industrial-like breaths, which are later shifted slightly to the back and the center stage is invaded by ethereal voices. But still the interactions between the voices and rumblings are absolutely stunning, strikingly contrasting, yet aurally symmetrical and deeply mesmerizing!!! The next piece, “Kealakekua Bay”, Annemarie dedicates to her Hawaiian friends and it pays tribute to the natural beauties of this treasured coastline (Kona coast, Hawaii), where the coral reefs slope gorgeously from the shore into the water. Tranquilly floating and cascading with perplexing whisperings and whale sounds, balsamic sea recordings and all subtly wrapped by orchestral drama delicacy. I should add that all whale sounds on this album are used, altered and edited with kind permission from Whale Songs by iWhales.”Cantiques Des Etoiles – Antares” closes this journey with distinguishably sculpted chants and wistful drones. Annemarie’s chants are truly mindscaping, at times nearly crumbled when listening on my headphones, I even thought it was a sound issue, but this might be all intentional. Evocative, spellbinding and most of all powerfully transcendental!!!

“In Nomine Cetus” takes the listener to some of the most beautiful and majestic aquatic sceneries, but unfortunately also to some sorrowful ones. It certainly deserves to be explored and supported, because Annemarie Borg is deeply focused and utterly talented composer and singer. “In Nomine Cetus” is made from the heart!!! My only complain is the soundquality, the overall sound is a bit flat to my taste plus some extraneous hissing sounds need to be removed. Otherwise, bravo, Annemarie, keep on creative soundsculpting and I really look forward to your future projects!!! By the way, a new album is planned for spring 2015…

Richard Gürtler (Oct 15, 2014, Bratislava, Slovakia)