Art As Catharsis are proud to announce the release of Hinterlandt’s new release Seven Tales – an elegantly composed collection of acoustic indie-chamber anecdotes.
As the fourth Hinterlandt record released under the Art As Catharsis label, Seven Tales serves as a showcase for Jochen Gutsch’s exceptional compositional talents. A quintet of classically trained instrumentalists shape the music with masterful licks of violin, cello, guitar, trumpet and vocals – resulting in engaging narratives wherein themes from Tin Hat Trio, Igor Stravinsky and Miles Davis echo within the music.
“These intricate instrumental arrangements and melodic vocals are contrasted by a rather dark subject matter,” begins Gutsch. “As the listeners are introduced to the fictional characters the songs are named after, it slowly becomes clear that each of the Seven Tales evolve around a tragic moment. Heart-breaking circumstances are supplemented with glimpses of black humour as the album provides an endearing and emotional window into the lives of seven humans (and a dog).”
As the second single from Seven Tales, The Tale of Jamira holds a certain tenderness – telling a delicate story of contrasted perspectives between mother and child. Clear vocals share themes of youthful innocence, war and sorrow, driving a narrative above a bed of light guitar and violins. The song comes to an abrupt close leaving listeners with a poignant silence – a clever compositional tool that forces one to consider the weight of the song’s final lyrics.
“The Tale of Jamira derives its strength from the story’s emotional depth, says Gutsch. “In fact it resonated so strongly with live audiences that people told us they wept when we played this song. All of the Seven Tales lyrics evolve around tragic incidents, however I tried to treat the fictional characters respectfully and equip them with endearing qualities in the hope that listeners get drawn into the stories, rather than keeping their watchful distance.”
