The papal craze was palpable across huge swaths of the United States last week, and is it any wonder why? Organized religion is awesome, especially when particular denominations are characterized by hierarchies and one person at the top who’s conceivably a Batman nemesis, according to his contrastingly bright and exposed “mobile.” Obviously, you don’t achieve that type of cultural status without a significant history, and it’s a Christian history that British renaissance man (and notable composer) Philip Jeck is at least mildly acknowledging with the release of Cardinal, his newest album for Touch. The “Saint Pancras” tracks are in reference to the Roman lad who converted to Christianity and was promptly beheaded for his beliefs in the year 304 AD. So there’s that.
Listen to the latter “Saint Pancras” track below, and feel free to be immediately struck by the ancient drone reminiscent of Xela’s similarly-themed In Bocca Al Lupo. It’s too early for comparisons to Jeck’s prior An Ark for the Listener, but what we expect is ambiguous ambience, inspired further by the writings of American author Marilynne Robinson. Among other things, she wrote about the importance of imagination to communal progress.
Cardinal is out October 23.
Cardinal tracklisting:
01. Fleeting
02. Saint Pancras
03. Barrow in Furness (open thy hand wide)
04. Reverse Jersey
05. …bends the knee 1
06. Called in
07. Brief
08. Broke Up
09. …bends the knee 5
10. Called Again
11. And Over Again
12. The Station View
13. Saint Pancras (the one that holds everything)
• Philip Jeck: http://www.philipjeck.com
• Touch: http://www.touch33.net
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