ThrouRoof is a name that, when seen for what it is, simply doesn’t have any definition. After all, it’s a nonsensical combination of two words that have no direct correlation to one another. When viewed from an abstract point of view though, the concept of those two words can be mixed with the flowing nature of drone music, allowing us to see the project title in a new metaphysical light, from the likes of astral projections and out-of-body experience to the transcendence of matter completely, allowing us to go, quite literally, through the roof. This is a subject that can be easily grasped and directly seen through the new age-styled depiction of a human head on the front cover. However, when applied to the subject of birdism, it, once again, doesn’t appear to have any correlation unless you look at it symbolically. Suddenly, birdism gives the spirit wings, the ability to fly, freedom from the vessel that is thoroughly anchored in this reality. The music of ThrouRoof seems to be crafted in much the same symbolic metaphysical light, forcing you to read between the lines and hear within the drone.
Track A, “Birdism”, seems more literal through the refraining motion of a melody that is played in repetitive fashion over top of a sample of simple bird noise that exists peacefully in the background. This single, simplistic drone comes into being as a pristine, harmonized tone that fits directly into place with the other progressing characteristics that appear later in the track. It evolves like a flower in that it comes into being as a simple green bud, and through time opens up, revealing a beautiful array of colors, shapes and smells. Such is the imagery that is incarnated through the music, and much is the music itself. Droning and slowly evolving to become more beautiful and full, before it eventually quickly withers, breaking down, falling back into nothingness. Side B, “Feathers & Blood”, starts out on a far darker spectrum, strictly utilizing a hollow, low-end hum at the beginning of the track. This low end lies in existence for a short while, enduring a solitary few minutes before it begins to swell abrasively behind a cataclysmic wall of sound that relentlessly builds until both sides meet at an equal level in the mix and become a unified beehive-like drone. This side is like death, in the sense of liberation, and rebirth. The low-end hum become representative of the void, of becoming nothing before the tension of the swell takes over, building to the point of breaking until chaos and the original singularity become one, creating something all-together new, ending with the track skipping at an even pace — the formation of the heartbeat. Finally, everything calms into an even structure as we ascend from the view of life.
It’s strangely fulfilling, this tape, especially if you can expand your mind into applying metaphysical subjects to the music itself. Drone is an entity that is easily more appreciated when you can apply a face to its nature, and this release does so better than most. Where I can’t speak for the project in saying that my point of view is what they sought to represent through their music, it is nonetheless a powerful work of minimalism and one of the best releases yet from the Cae-sur-a label. This release is limited to a strict 100 copies and is luckily still available from the label, which has been selling out of their lines up tapes left and right lately. In addition, and in line with the metaphysical line of thought that I’ve perceived in the band, Full of Nothing released another tape from the project in “Tarots Session” last year, although this label is in Karelia, Russia. It goes without saying that this project is finding a fruitful existence as of late, though 2012 has yet to see a new work.
Track List:
A1) Birdism
B1) Feathers & Blood
Rating: 4.75/5
Written by: Sage
Label: Cae-sur-a (US) / //008// / Tape
Drone
