Reviews

June 28, 2012
Edmond Redd Nightmare Delirium (2012)
Review by:
Theodora Haddad


Nightmare Delirium, released on May 14th 2012, is an extravagant blend of musical periods and styles combined altogether to form this one classical/contemporary masterpiece. From baroque, to classical, to 19th century piano forte parties, and finally to finish with a touch of contemporary and modern film scores; this album really astonishes us with its beautiful harmony although so varied.

Edmond Redd is a Lebanese music composer, classical piano player and music lover. Early throughout his childhood, he received classical music education. For more than 10 years, he studied classics from Czerny, Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Schubert, to name but a few. He is also known as the ex-keyboardist of the fascinating Goth/Rock Lebanese band Arcane* . Throughout his journey of discovery, piano remained the main instrument he played. In 2012, Nightmare Delirium, his first debut album comes as his first step as a solo composer, assembling several music compositions written between Beirut, his hometown, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and lately Dubai, UAE, where he currently resides.

The album itself tells the story of a night during which the composers sleep is troubled by a certain visitor: the eye. This eye fellow as we can clearly see on the album cover, is only revealed to its shoulders, wearing a hat and a scarf, as if it was a real person, a real visitor. The cover itself reveals the source of this Nightmare Delirium. Each track retraces a step of the nightmare, a step during which the dreamer is always trying to escape the cold stare of the eye visitor.

Thus, let me take you through this exquisite delirium track by track, in order to get into the very heart of the story.

Track I Prologue (E minor) speaks for itself. Its the first phase of the sleep, where the person is flowing among his thoughts, everything seems so peaceful; its time to sleep. In order to express this peaceful beginning of ones sleep, the track begins with a kind of cheerful piano allegro. Then at 0:30 enters the violin announcing that the atmosphere is about to get worrisome and dramatic. 1:17: more drastic sound of the violin, the merry feeling of the beginning of the piece is totally forgotten. The piano is already carrying a minor tune, theres no coming back.

Track II Fluid Cyclic Liquid (G minor) is a face to face with the visitor. A grave fastened piano tempo at 0:34. We have the same piano tune throughout the track, in 2 dimensions, one is graver than the other. Kind of reveals a Chopin technique. The hollow sounds in the background, might make us think of some kind of chase between the visitor and the dreamer. But whos chasing whom?

Track III Nightmare Delirium (G minor), the heart of the album. The only multi-movement track of the album. Its basically a rondo that starts with a main theme in the track: a grave Beethovens moonlight sonata inspired piano, very soothing. 0:49, 2nd movement: minor allegretto gives the feeling of an endless liquid agony, fear of the cyclic liquid we saw in track 2. Then it bursts into a vocal/piano arrangement, a solemn Mozarts Requiem fear! Returns the hollow dark piano tune. 2:11, announces the 3rd movement, a beautiful violin largo: seems like weve managed to escape the cold feeling the visitor inspires. But no, its not over yet: 3:39 vocals announce decadence again, and were back at 4:13 to the main grave theme of the beginning of the track.

Track IV Les Larmes Bleues (G) starts with a merrier piano allegro, trying to fool us again that everything has turned out to be fine and that the delirium is over. Definitely a track inspired mainly by Bach. 1:04, not so cheery anymore when enters the minor violins and the electronic sounds in the background. The eye is still here! 1:49: beautiful Vivaldi inspired piano/violin duo, that announces the continuing fearsome chase throughout the dreamers mind

Track V Mellotronic (D minor), is definitely the most contemporary/modern track of the album. It starts with a jazzy tune of an electric guitar, which turns into a kind of funky/funny guitar/piano duo (could remind us of the kind of music that was out in the end of 19th century a Charlie Mole score). We kind of have the idea of a stair chase, that ends again with the jazzy guitar. Indeed, the classical atmosphere reigning in the album is a bit shaken by this piece, which adds some kind of spark to it.

Track VI Looking Down Here (C minor) is the most dramatic but yet full of hope track in the album. A Philip Glass inspired theme (The Hours score), that begins with a breathtaking piano melancholic allegro. Comes along the lovely violin backed up by opera vocals, altogether to give the whole musical piece a majestic air. As if it was saying to the visitor I know you wont leave, but now dawns breaking and Im free! Thus, track ends with a dramatic grave piano accord: an abrupt fall. Im done with you eye visitor, for now

The album ends with an electronic mix of Fluid Cyclic Liquid: a reminder of the modern influences in the album.

So here we are music lovers, at the end of this one nights story, the end of the Delirium, or not?

References: You can get Nightmare Delirium from Amazon.com, cdbaby.com or edmondredd.com


July 2, 2012
A night, merely delirium.
Review by:
Leopold Ajami



Bastard.
I should have faced him differently.
Did I turn off the TV.
The white shirt?
Naaahh I look better in black.
Sleep.
Those green eyes, omg, mmmm.
Sleeeep.
eeeppppp.
Am I asleep?
Well Im watching me asleep.
I move away from me.
My body is watching me.
Helpless.
Careless, perhaps.
Doubt.
Dj vu, though.
I should go to the balcony.
Its a dream anyway.
Count to 10.
1.2.3.4...
You'll wake up.
7..9 errr
Dad?
Whos that monster?
What have I been watching?
Run. Run.
The balcony.
He's following me. He can't. Shouldn't. Mustnt catch me.
I can do it.
Fly.
What if its not a dream?
Jump.
Ohhh.
Breaaaaathhhe.
Its cold. Its wet.
Im floating in a fluid cyclic liquid.
I cant fight it.
Hopeless. Powerless.
Im drowning.
Am I?
If in those green eyes,
then drowning, falling, is a blessing.
From her iris, a voice, a song is calling
Slipping down to her pupil, a gathering
of black mad angels,
Laughing, sarcastically
Crying, unwillingly
Blue tears falling down
from those cursed eyes.
(sigh) Im in bed, again.
Whats next?
Close your eyes, play.
Im in the middle of nowhere.
Alone. Not lonely.
10 fingers, I remember,
Dancing horizontally,
on the ceiling of my chamber,
Someone, something, is looking down on me.
Its coming closer.
It tastes like saliva.
Vertically, I remember.
An angelic voice screaming for attention,
Or probably for other intentions.
The voice enfolds me,
Bewildered, I open my eyes.
hey baby, how do you like your eggs?

hehe, you wish!

It was more like a sudden cruel sunlight
That harmonizes the beats of that bloody vacuum cleaner.
Bastard.



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