KOSMOS by Mortuus Auris & the Black Hand

This album is a stepping stone from the bleak landscapes and miniatures of STRAIN/GALAXY, which was released on Hylé Tapes a few years ago. It centers on a simple chord structure filtered through various channels to create a soundtrack of sorts. The primary goal was to capture the raw elements of sound which have driven my creative output as a musician.

I was once pitched at the base of a funicular about to ascend the Cairngorm mountains in Scotland. It was brisk, bleak and baron. The only sound was the huge steel cables stretching under the weight of its load. This rang out through the thick white mist creating an ethereal tone which moved me deeply as it strung out into oblivion. 14 years on this still resonates, and this record was an attempt to recreate that fractured orchestra through the tools I have to hand. Dissonance, decay and hope dance around singular chords through an ascent that is shattered by an opaque and gathering storm.

I was later inspired by the works of Alexander von Humboldt and his world changing Kosmos. This is my ode to the tumbling of time and the tidal sweep of nature - an effort to unravel and confuse the trajectories of the insignificant body in the overwhelming grandeur of matter.

The album was made to evoke the feeling of awe and the impossible vista that meets an eternal wanderer, whilst retaining an element of the insignificant voyeur amidst the onslaught of creation. Recorded in various spots across the UK - all sounds, including piano, vocals, field recordings and violin are generated and manipulated by Peter Taylor.

https://soundcloud.com/mortuus-auris
https://mabh.bandcamp.com/
https://xpxl.co.uk/