I'm a fan of music that takes you on a journey. Sometimes this is a journey of reflection on your life or the state of the world, sometimes it's an abstract journey through a swirling soundscape, but On Display took me on what felt like a classic adventure. The sounds and progression throughout the album painted a diverse visual picture of a grand journey across a varied landscape.
This adventure however seems to be told through a sequence of transitions, the pieces of the adventure where the protagonist is walking from one location to the next rather than the moments of action that move the plot forward. While a movie or book might keep these scenes brief, in reality this is the vast majority of how the time would be spent. Over the course of the album, this culminates in a very unique sense of duty and patience, and an honest feeling of presence.
The album opens with some soft synths and clean hand drums. It gives me the impression of a long trek through a desert one step at a time. The choir and piano on the second track take me through dusty passages of an ancient library that eventually emerges into the forest of track three. The rhythm feels heavy with a sense of obligation and a touch of dread. This is not a whimsical adventure but a solemn one.
Track four, Dusk moss, has some jazzier piano harmony. I feel as though I'm sneaking through the city at night. The call and response between the piano's bass and the woodwinds creates a sense of unease.
Track six, Immer das Licht, takes me through a misty river side trail in the forest, illuminated by moonlight before arriving at the castle gates in track seven. Dark brass tones loom and alien synths warble in a slow chant. We enter the castle on track eight. The tension is thick, sounds of dishes clatter in the distance as we move through secretly attempting to remain undetected.
The album closes at track nine, at Holmsland Klit, DK, with soft walking sounds, wildlife noises, wind, and gentle harmony. There's a comforting sense of familiarity like returning home. The feeling of duty is replaced with a hopeful but melancholy feeling of safety.
It's highly unlikely that the story I have told above is what the artist envisioned themselves. Whatever the case may be, the album kept me hooked in creative dialogue and I'm very glad to have had the opportunity to experience the story that emerged.