Five years of intricate work, tenacity, and introspection culminate today with Finnish artist Conchis’ release of her debut album, Chapters. The eleven-track release showcases some beautiful experimental-electronic-pop soundscapes, interweaved with a cathartic, psychological journey through weaving themes of loss, yearning, ecological despair, and self-confrontation, mapping Conchis’ writing process whilst battling Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).
An ambitious record marked by stark authenticity, Chapters offers listeners a series of emotional peaks and valleys. Through creative limitations, including a self-imposed cap of five vocal takes per song, Conchis harnessed her restricted energy to reveal raw emotion, avoiding polished takes and embracing what she describes as “a genuine expression of my own struggles and resilience.”
Conchis, named after the mysterious character from John Fowles’ novel The Magus, finds inspiration in both literature and mysticism. She weaves symbols from The Magus and the tarot’s “Magician” card throughout the album, mixing sampled sounds of earth, water, air, and fire to create an atmosphere that is both elemental and philosophical. Produced and mixed by Jonas Verwijnen and mastered by Peter Maher, Chapters includes contributions from Joonas Hakava (bass) and Austin Finamore (cello), resulting in an album both rich and meditative.
Across the tracks, Conchis defies conventional genres and artistic norms, from the sprawling lo-fi, Thom Yorke-esque ‘Trees Grow Higher’, to the rich analogue synths and sprawling vocal processing of ‘Flood’ to expansive cinematic long instrumental sections as found on ‘Calm Your Mind’, the album showcases creative authenticity and an eagerness to experiment that is hard to ignore.
The albums highlight ‘Trouble’ is a highlight and showcases all the elements which make the album special – the rich synth soundscapes, the unexpectedly catchy melodies and the experimental, musically mature ideas.
8 tracks which are challenging yet beautiful, ‘Chapters’ is a great example of Conchis’ artistic identity and potential.
Listen below:
