Sunday, October 21, 2012

CD Review – What’s Real? by Silentaria


If you’ve been a loyal viewer of the Fox Broadcasting Network over the last 15 to 20 years, you might remember an enigmatic illusionist who went by the moniker of the Masked Magician for his dark, face-obscuring apparel and who revealed all the secrets of his trade. Now we have a Masked Musician with a similar appearance but who’s covered in white, and rather than reveal the mysteries that inform his shadowy music, he leaves them for the listener to ruminate upon and unravel.
 
The fact that Silentaria, aka Rixa White, wears a façade takes the focus off his identity and visage and puts it squarely on his music. His mask also reflects the main theme of his muse, that of the tenuous line between illusion and reality.
 
But whatever his motivation, the significant factor here is his sonic artistry, which I would call orchestral electronica. Silentaria builds a basic foundation with keyboards and synthesizers and then adds flutes, violins, strings, drums, percussion, digital choirs, and electric guitars to the mix, creating an intoxicating blend that is at once ominous and exhilarating, electronic and organic, introspective and grandiose. This is music that is visceral in its pungency and cinematic in its reach. Silentaria’s work here reminds me of Jan Hammer’s darkly dynamic Miami Vice soundtracks, filtered through Silentaria’s unique mind’s eye.
 
If you desire to embark on a musical sojourn beyond the ordinary, take a ride with Silentaria. You will not be disappointed.
 
--Raj Manoharan

No comments:

Post a Comment