There’s a first for everything. We’ve premiered singles, EPs, albums, double albums, music videos, pretty much every standard medium when it comes to promoting and releasing an album. One thing we haven’t done before, though, is airing an actual documentary. So once the chance to cover that territory unexplored to us, we couldn’t say no, could we?
Today, the Danish artist Lars Bech Pilgaard releases his new album Folklórica via momeatdad records, and we are delighted to bring you the premiere for its accompanying 25-minute namesake documentary. The ambitious four-chapter double vinyl is an experience in and of itself in all of its expressive and abstract aural majesty, and the visual counterpart created by Pilgaard’s long-term visual collaborator Mathias Winther Kjeldsen is certainly a holistic viewing pleasure in its own right, offering a further chance to get properly swathed in the folky drones and nostalgic soundscapes composing the entirety of Folklórica. Take a seat, maybe have a beverage or two on your side, and dip into the equally visually as well as sonically pleasing aesthetics of the documentary from below;
For the past decade or so, Lars Bech Pilgaard has made name for himself through various configurations from solo works to his own ensembles and sideman gigs for other noteworthy artists, on Folklórica, the awarded guitarist has created what is easily his most challenging and ambitious work so far. Having embarked on an expedition to see what exactly stringed instruments are capable of, the album is a deep dive into the world of atmospheric folk as seen through a lens of spiritually weighted, euphoric fuzzy drones and longing ambiances all created with bowed, prepared, and electric guitars and banjo, with pleasantly musical and discerningly atonal components dancing together as a one coherent entity without a single misstep on the way.
As for the documentary, the press release offered us the following insight;
‘The film depicts the work with the music in the vulnerable creation process, where the string instruments are presented as soulful soulmates who tell the story. Documentation from the studio and staging of improvisations in nature create magical bonds between the instruments, the music and the spirit. The poetic images document a sensuality from music’s embryonic stage, where the camera’s gaze for the creative artist’s inner world becomes part of the narrative of the work.‘
The documentary itself is an exquisite look into the creation process of something magnificent, and every single one of my viewings has felt like the first one, as the entirety is put together in a sublime fashion, making up for a really immersive and intriguing pastime. The beautiful sceneries and intricate details are just plain nice to watch, and getting an in-depth additional look into any creation process is always fascinating.
Folklórica can now be streamed full over at Bandcamp, from where you can also acquire that quite sweet looking double vinyl, and Pilgaard is also heading out to a small tour that you should catch if you happen to reside in a nearby area. Catch them all if you can, as per press, each night Pilgaard is accompanied by the visual designer Piotr Winievicz, who will design the concert space in a new format every night and create the framework for a sensual, intimate experience for the ears and eyes.
Promo photos by Mathias Winther Kjeldsen
