EIGHT DAYS before he releases his new solo album, Dead Can Dance’s Brendan Perry will play the Róisín Dubh tomorrow at 9pm. Perry’s new album ‘Ark’ is a definitive individual effort with the musical artist writing all lyrics, playing all instruments, and remaining the sole creative force across the eight tracks.
All of the instrumentation on ‘Ark’ is derived from samples and synthesisers and, in its creator’s own words, is predicated on a theory of creating ‘a neutral electronic soundscape which would in turn mirror a world that is becoming increasingly more dependent upon machines to perform tasks for us’.
‘Ark’ is not a concept album in the original sense of the term, it combines themes which run throughout its eight tracks. The lyrics of opener ‘Babylon’ focus on the current conflicts within the Middle East, and combine with ‘The Bogus Man’ and ‘This Boy’ to put a human face on those charged with waging war on behalf of politicians.
While such dystopian themes could be seen to make for a very bleak experience, ‘Ark’ is shot through with an emotional warmth and a belief in the redemptive power of humanity from which the album title is derived, ‘Ark’ being not just the refuge of the world but a starting point for a better society and a more organic way of life. To accompany ‘Ark’, Kelly will play selected shows in the Ireland and the UK. www.cookingvinyl.com / www.brendanperry.com Tickets are available from the Róisín Dubh and Zhivago.
