Divers & transcendence
Posted: 06 Dec 2016, 15:53back from the place beyond the dawn
Based on innumerate close listens and much reflection, as well as recent lightbulb moments and lightning epiphanies (which have completely uprooted my worldview in an incredibly powerful way) I've got a working theory that Divers might contain some formula for transcendence or enlightenment.
The album's ideas about memory, perception/Selfhood, ephemerality of existence, love and death are universal and arguably comprise the core of our existence; combined with the mentioned practices of mindfulness/negating Time ('ceased to mean Now and began to mean only Right Here'), willing Nietzsche's concept of the eternal return (again! around-), waging war with our ghosts (Time moves both ways), and finding existential joy.. when it all begins to click, it makes for a completely life-affirming and transportive experience. Any delvers out there with me? I'm probably going to begin a blog about this in the very near future to outline these ideas in greater depth, the insights have been life-changing, and it remains. I'll post a link when it's up and running
Anyhow I see a lot of meta moments on the record, which demonstrate lyrical self-awareness and active engagement with the listener- 'sending the first scouts over' (sending us, as listeners, to the war between us and our ghosts? deep down where our fight is waiting..), 'stand brave, life-liver', there are so many examples that tie it all together.. I'm just getting the sense that this record might be functioning on an entirely different plane, semantically, to Joanna's earlier work- it's self-referential and complex and brilliant and conceptual. But listening with this in mind has been so intellectually gratifying and rewarding and fun that I wouldn't want to post potential spoilers or hinder anyone's experience of getting into the songs and developing narratives or relationships with the music- hence the blog, coming soon! Keen to hear other thoughts and experiences in the meantime.
Based on innumerate close listens and much reflection, as well as recent lightbulb moments and lightning epiphanies (which have completely uprooted my worldview in an incredibly powerful way) I've got a working theory that Divers might contain some formula for transcendence or enlightenment.
The album's ideas about memory, perception/Selfhood, ephemerality of existence, love and death are universal and arguably comprise the core of our existence; combined with the mentioned practices of mindfulness/negating Time ('ceased to mean Now and began to mean only Right Here'), willing Nietzsche's concept of the eternal return (again! around-), waging war with our ghosts (Time moves both ways), and finding existential joy.. when it all begins to click, it makes for a completely life-affirming and transportive experience. Any delvers out there with me? I'm probably going to begin a blog about this in the very near future to outline these ideas in greater depth, the insights have been life-changing, and it remains. I'll post a link when it's up and running
Anyhow I see a lot of meta moments on the record, which demonstrate lyrical self-awareness and active engagement with the listener- 'sending the first scouts over' (sending us, as listeners, to the war between us and our ghosts? deep down where our fight is waiting..), 'stand brave, life-liver', there are so many examples that tie it all together.. I'm just getting the sense that this record might be functioning on an entirely different plane, semantically, to Joanna's earlier work- it's self-referential and complex and brilliant and conceptual. But listening with this in mind has been so intellectually gratifying and rewarding and fun that I wouldn't want to post potential spoilers or hinder anyone's experience of getting into the songs and developing narratives or relationships with the music- hence the blog, coming soon! Keen to hear other thoughts and experiences in the meantime.