Keira McTernan – Associate Agony Aunt
The first thing which catches a glance at berlioz is the art on the album cover. It can be noted that berlioz takes visual inspiration from the French artist Matisse where his Instagram is captioned “if Matisse made house music”, that alone could sum up the work and genre of berlioz. The brightly coloured sporadic yet thoughtful placed lines provide a sense of foreshadowing of the music. The vast use of instrumental, synth, and spoken word leaves many people unsure of what genre this is, is it jazz or house? I believe the conclusion is both, a mix of this and a dash of that.
Berlioz has been one of my go-to artists for an array of everyday tasks; traveling, studying, shopping, and even while I write this article, in summary; any and every task. I spend most of the time associating myself with this music in solitude however it has lately seeped into the company of friends which I would highly suggest; inviting friends over to play cards, a few drinks, all with the undertone of berlioz, a simply memorable evening to be had. However, if you are one to sit quietly with your headphones then this music will be sure to led to some toe-tapping. The whole orchestration of berlioz is noteworthy – created, produced, and the iconic saxophonist Jasper Attlee. The 2024 debut album release of open this wall showcases an abundance of new sounds that can reflect the music shift in modern culture. The album starts with ascension which opens with a tranquil rise in soft string instruments with touches of piano, leading up to synth and saxophone contrast to create the berlioz sound we are familiar with. It is a prime example of their work in this new style of music.
Moving onto what I find to be one of their most iconic and catchy works of this album is their song, open this wall. The soft-spoken word, which is prevalent in much of their work, provides a sense of importance to the music. The soft yet froward speaking in this song portrays the speaker asking or ordering the impossible – to open this wall. This song can relate to the societal motion of individualism; the sense that you can take control, “open this wall for me” and order the impossible. The message in this song also relates to the increased interest in the sense of a supreme power, many young individuals are taking control over their life but equally are invested in the spiritual well-being or manifestation of their success. This is seen with many sprinting down the entrepreneur or freelancer route, the commonality of young people asking others to do the impossible can relate to this new societal phenomenon. Much of berlioz work touches on this sense of power which is further seen in the third song of the album, peace which likewise has spoken word repeating the words “powerful” and “right” joined with the catchy beat and saxophone with a touch of afrobeat which will get anyone moving along to the music while feeling as they are “powerful”. Although this may not be how you interpret berlioz debut album it is nonetheless an enjoyable listen from the jazz undertones and toe-tapping, shoulder-swaying beats.
Image Credit : Priscilla Du Preez via Unsplash