Alex Smoke
Love Over Will
Following his hallucinogenic EPs ‘Dust’ and ‘Green Man’ for R&S, Alex Smoke returns with his latest opus ‘Love Over Will’, perfectly crafted electronica, brimming with layers that mixes depth, euphoria and social commentary in equal measure. Love Over Will sees Menzies further exploring the melding of his voice with intricate electronics and discordant melody.
The title 'Love Over Will' is a play on "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will", the central tenet of Thelema, created by famed occultist and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, with the central thread of the album being "a statement on the times we are living in, but with an optimism relating to ways forward that are possible”. Also Menzies’s work has been informed by his ongoing installation work with artist Florence To, primarily on the links between sound and spirituality (ritual music, psychoacoustic effect).
The album's palette of otherworldly strings, distortion, clicks and synths acts as a bed for Menzies' voice, calling to mind the emotive fragility of Arthur Russell, at times confessional, others loudly declamatory - ‘Love Over Will’ is unquestionably Menzie’s finest work to date.
Tracklist
1. Fair Is Foul
2. Dire Need
3. Loss Gain
4. Dust
5. Galdr
6. All My Atoms
7. Yearning Mississippi
8. Love Over Will
9. Manacles
10. Whitening
11. Astar Mara
12. Star At The Summit
13. Fall Out