003 - Ex Aquis - No Matter How Far You Fall...

 

To call this release varied would be a gross understatement. The amount of musical variety on No Matter How Far You Fall... is truly impressive. It would be a simple matter for Ex Aquis to write a collection of songs and throw them together in a random order and call that an album. However, what is on display here is a masterful narrative that uses the musical variety to tell a distinct story.

The compositions on the album were created through various means: different DAW's (Ableton was the primary one used), NI Reaktor to generate the synths, various percussion instruments and a viola (!!). Aquis also acquired a microphone during the production of the album which was used to record his voice, choir effects, and live instrumentation. Many of the tones generated on this album came from simple experimentation until the fitting sound was found. In his own words,"It's more of an approach as a student of music rather than a confirmed artist," and I couldn't agree more.

The album can be segmented into three distinct acts: turbulence, reflection, and action. Each segment of the album evokes a specific set of emotions from the listener, each with a distinct musical tone and narrative.

The first act begins in what can only be described as dark ambient.  A Whisper of Your Voice, a Shadow of Yourself sets a chilling tone through subtle tones and noises along with static and distant whispers. Immediately the music is telling us that there are many components at work here, a theme repeated throughout the album (headphones recommended). Abandoned Arcade continues in very much the same fashion - though with more of a beat oriented focus - and leads into the duo of short tracks to close out the first act: 4 AM in the Hive and DESK SLAM B.

On my first listen I almost gave up on the album after DESK SLAM B. The music up to this point is disjointed, chaotic, and really didn't make any sense to me. The short tracks are noisy, saturated, and aimless, almost reminding me of FLAP. After multiple listens, one realizes this disjointed chaos is absolutely intentional and is critical to the story the album is telling.

Act II begins with It Came Out of My Skin, and we are greeted with the first actual melodies of the album. Rough and saturated as they are, they have a drive to them that has been absent to this point on the record. The song helps transition us from the chaotic energy of Act I into what will ultimately become a period of quiet reflection to conclude Act II.

Whose Good Idea Was It and The Quiet bring the listener deeper into a state of reflection. The piano work in Whose Good Idea Was It is married with beautiful synth pads and reverb. The melodies are predominantly calm with small bursts of ominous lower octave chords. The last bits of chaos before the pure peace of The Quiet.

The Quiet is the softest song on the album and bathes us in beautiful ambience. The turbulence of Act I is completely vanquished at this point and all that remains is the stillness of meditating on oneself. This composition encapsulates what the peaceful mind ideal is and acts as the musical linchpin for the entire album.

The act concludes with Through the Mist of My Own Heart I See You Clearly, and it showcases a mesmerizing viola solo. The viola brings out a mournful tone and a profound sense of loss to this piece. This is the musical highlight of the album, an emotional and melodic climax.

Act III calls us to action, the reflection period has ended and we are now called to move forward with our newfound revelations. This call manifests in Overcast, where Ex Aquis gives us the clearest vision of what the album is about. The lyrics echo the sense of loss that has been so profound in the previous track with the ultimate realization that it is time to break free from the chains of the past and fly towards a new destiny.

Anxiety Sanctuary is very aptly named, as there is a strong sense of urgency in this track. Much more so than any other composition on the record.  The music is upbeat and multilayered with many samples being cut off prior to completely finishing. It all blends together to evoke a feeling of tension culminating with  the ultimate release of As Soft As Your Touch. The album  finishes with a sense of calm and peace. The journey from chaos to tranquillity is concluded and we are now at rest. The perfect album closer.

A good journey is something only the best albums are able to pull off, taking the listener from one point and effortlessly leading them to another. Ex Aquis translates directly to "from water" and that is exactly what this album achieves: a flowing river of emotions emanating from chaos and transitioning to serenity at its conclusion.  While I almost dismissed this album because of the opening tracks on first listen, I'm glad that I stuck with it. What I ended up with is one of the best releases of 2020.

Acknowledgements
Thank you to Ex Aquis for answering my questions about the album and providing details on its creation. Additional thanks to New Motion for putting the album out and to Blissmonkey for editing and Promotion.