The Chickens are Back
Carrion Carya Amara by Carya Amara is one of the weirder albums I have come across. This has been largely due to my own ignorance of the experimental music field and what sort of things go on in that arcane, rarefied world of twisted concepts and warped soundwaves. Carrion Carya Amara certainly pushes the limits in many ways, but also retains some of the normality, making it a perfect album to test run your tastes in experimental.
The ten tracks of Carrion really are an eclectic mix of weirdness, drawing from so many influences and ideas that one’s head could be forgiven for for spontaneously combusting. The delightfully weird “As Hens Must Cite” reminds me of an idiot savant chicken trying to cross the road. One even gets a hint of an answer to the question of whether the chicken made it or not. After the initial oddity, the album draws back into something more relatable and ambient, with “Another Abbey Road.” But don’t worry. The experimental is never far away. “V-A-C-C-I-N-A-T-I-O-N” brings out the weirdness once again, but it also tells a story of fear, anxiety and terror of a kid facing a raft of shots from a sadistic monster who should never have been licensed to practise medicine.
Carrion Carya Amara is, at the very core, a deeply emotional album. It taps into the recesses of your heart and tweaks the feelings there, drawing out those memories, hopes and wonderings. Yet, it is not as someone invading your personal space, but as a friend would to remind you of who you are. It touches on some of the deeper human experiences we all go through and never really bond over.
“Egregorian Chant” is one track I appreciate from even a position of faith. Taking a hallowed form of music and giving a speculative twist into the dark, Carya Amara haunts us with a dank, stark digital vision of a type of song reserved for the Divine. And it is one of my favourite tracks on the album. Dark, horror-laden sounds and beats growl in a subtle menace, without overwhelming you. This track would be the psychological horror movie par excellence, rather than a slasher flick.
For listeners who are looking for something different or seasoned fans of experimental music, Carrion Carya Amara redefines music in many ways, but also stays rooted in some of the more mainstream motifs and styles. It is a great introduction to the world of experimenting in sound and using all sorts of sound to create a musical experience unlike any other. “Avant-guard” is a bit of an understatement, though.