‘Sacrifice (EP)’ by Novit Terminus
Today we take a trip to a music project that more than deserves the title ‘extraordinary’. Novit Terminus is the name of the artist (aka Jeremy C. Wells, Ph.D.) who - listen and be amazed - combines electro with medieval folklore and recites in Middle English.
If you can't imagine what that means, just read on and enjoy the sound. It doesn't make sense to categorise him in a genre, it's more like a kind of foray into them. As a modern bard, he fishes in the ponds of electro, medieval music, electrofolk, folktronica and darkwave. Music as a transitional process in which one achieves personal renewal and growth through creative and self-reflective work is his idea behind it.
The first song, entitled
‘Bryd one Brere (14th Century)’, captures the bittersweet nature of love and desire and describes how unrequited love can affect a person's entire life. At the same time, the woman is idealised, elevated to a kind of pedestal and seen as a saviour, meaning that love can be both the cause of the deepest pain and the source of the greatest happiness. The musical production, in which Jeremy C. Wells, in my opinion, performs superbly vocally, utilises the tonal elements and approaches of the various genres to unite them like a blacksmith with fire into a noble piece of music entitled ‘Bryd one Brere (14th century)’.
But that's not all, because the former history professor, who to our delight is once again devoting himself to music, goes one better with ‘Sacrifice’. It sheds light on the duality of the human psyche and the tension between self-sacrifice and destruction, showing the complexity and pain of inner conflicts that arise from relationships and personal experiences. This piece exists in three different versions and it is not easy to choose one of them, as one version will prevail over the others depending on your personal mood. At the moment, the original version is my favourite.
To summarise, it can be said that Novit Terminus is treading a path that not only inspires enthusiasm in me, but also amazement.
NenesButler - Indie Music Blog
