Tomáš Niesner — Bečvou

Tomáš Niesner is an experimental musician hailing from the Czech Republic and more precisely Přerov, in the eastern part of the country- where the river Bečvou runs nearby. In September of 2020, several chemical leaks into the river caused the poisoning and subsequent annihilation of wildlife, and its natural habitat. An unprecedented catastrophe that had a profound effect on Niesner, as the river was a significant part of his youth. The Bečvou album, is his latest instalment, in his lament of these events, formulated with a serene and deeply charged ambient music form. 

Bečvou is based around soundscapes created via guitar, modular synth and zither- all of which is afloat with field recordings from the riverbanks- be it birds, wildlife, or the water itself. In contradiction to his previous works which were based on minimal use of a single instrument, this is album is maximal. This plurality is a manifestation of filling the gaps of all the lives lost when the incident occurred. These missing pieces are filled with acknowledged sorrow in sound. Very sentimental and troubling pieces, fragile odes to the unforeseen, yet so powerful and complete, like life itself which continues despite death and obliteration!.

This is a release as heavy as it can be in terms of conceptual approach. The form is cinematic and convincing, all of the elements in these recordings depict Niesner's ideas, without the need of explaining anything. A memoir of the inner pathways Tomáš Niesner took in the process of creating Bečvou. Sincere and apocalyptic sorrow or bitter joy, with sporadic crescendos, movements in andante tempo, as the work progresses. Bečvou can be an uplifting album as well, if one forgets or is unaware of the events that created it. The quality of life and death are masterfully expressed. 
 
Bečvou is a fairy-tale of a real-life catastrophe and nightmare, painted in the most vivid sonic colours .To get the whole picture, as well as purchase a copy of the cassette drop by here