Bvdub
We Were the Sun

We Were The Sun. We Were the Sun. Frankly, I have no idea what this phrase means nor do I think a rational explanation is so necessary, for one simple reason: Bvdub is a poet. He must be a poet, without a doubt. And the funny thing is that, despite not understanding a shred of poetry, I started to believe it from simply listening to the album, which for the record, if it's absolutely necessary, could be described as "drone-ambient". Then I began to read the track titles carefully and took a little trip to his space, where finally under "influences" everything made sense. I quote verbatim what the influences of this charming yet unknown artist are: Sadness, Idealistic Daydreams, Regret, Thought, Hope, Life. Exactly what you would expect a damned poet (or a poet damned) to answer if asked.

Clearly the "poems" of this Brock van Wey, an American who found San Francisco so confining that he wanted to move to China for a while, are certainly not literal poems, but rather ideal ones. Each of the six tracks on the album seems to be born from a sublime inspiration, and aims to sublimate this inspiration. The music of Bvdub, at least in this project released on his own label - "Quietus Recordings" - (a name that already says it all) starts from a simple Drone to reveal later, through the use of progressive sonic layering and "hypnotic catharsis", the beauty and simplicity of an emotion. Any emotion. "From Here We Go Sublime," a certain Swedish musician would say. And for this to happen, besides the magical touch of a person with acute sensitivity, time must become relative. Like any truly valid artist, in fact, Bvdub is able to "freeze" time and bend it to his will, to shape it. Thus, the notes flow endlessly and no particular harmonic variations are needed if the introduction of new drones, such as a guitar, a keyboard, refracting vocals, and ethereal choirs, are enough to make the piece soar into the bluest sky that exists, all without you even realizing that, for example, only the first three pieces together take up about fifty minutes.

"We Were The Sun" is simply a fantastic album. Depending on the inspiration they derive from, some pieces sound melancholic, others mysterious, others incredibly serene, but all are profoundly deep. I have no idea why it was released in 2009 in only 300 copies, but so be it. Now all I can do is wish everyone a good listening and further explore the career of this Artist myself. I am sure he will give me many more satisfactions.