The sound of music or the music of sound? Australian composer and producer Madeleine Cocolas has always been an artist who finds no need to differentiate in her inspired post-classical/ambient work. Her 2018 album ‘Metropolitan’ wove the sonic pulse of software as it analysed artworks from the New York Met into a musical homage to that favourite place. Then on ‘Spectral’ from ’22, the noises of her day to day, children, chatting, roadside machinery, crickets in the neighbourhood scrub, gave a small world essence to the delicate melodic introspection of that album. By making such connections Cocolas is one of those musicians who instils a real sense of place in her compositions and allows us to find ourselves within those spaces. That’s why her music is so distinctively moving.
This emotional impact shows no sign of dissolving with her next project ‘Bodies’, an album due April 12th through Room 40. Talking about the release, Cocolas has revealed that the new pieces navigate the parallels between bodies of water and our own bodies, the ‘waves, pulses and currents’ fundamental to both. Recordings from coastlines, creeks and waterfalls are merged with the sounds of her voice and breath, then blended with her absorbent electronica.
Preview track ‘Bodies II’ gives a taste of what this complex fermentation means. Ominous, high pitched choral voices hover on the surface before the ebb and swell of darker drones take you under. The track then submerges through the shudder of subterranean rumblings while a mysterious quivering synth melody cuts through. There’s music of dramatic density here with more to come if you go for the full ‘Bodies’ experience. Dive in, immerse yourself and float on….
Pre-order ‘Bodies’ by Madeleine Cocolas from your local record store or direct from Room40 HERE
