This is a new name on a well-known label for me. Let’s see how and what. Gagi Petrovic is a music teacher and producer in the broadest sense of the word. The well-written info-sheet tells me he writes music for others, for performances (dance and theatre), creates electro-acoustic albums and performs as a musician and singer-songwriter. So yeah, he has an extensive orientation. But a sentence in the info makes me curious: ‘Conceptually, his music often covers themes revolving around oppression, isolation, destruction and what it means to be free.’ And there it touches on the main description of this album, “Unfold Yourself” is a story about personal growth, taking care of your own mental health, and a reminder not to give up.
The titles on the album are indeed the step taken when it comes to self-exploration and growth, being “Disrupt”, “Obstruct”, “Shatter”, “Rejuvenate”, “Illuminate”, “Erupt”, and “Arise”. A clearly described path, as you can see. And when it comes to the chosen sounds and patterns, it sort of fits. Where “Disrupt” is built from massive dark Moog-like tones, “Obstruct” has more sudden movements of a different origin and includes what seems to be – metallic percussion. “Shatter” has a rhythmic base and string manipulation, and during the 3:39 shortest track “, Rejuvenate”, minimal synths are played in combination with the sonar sound blip we already heard on track 2. For me: How parts of our past with which we struggle should remain part of who we’ve become.
“Illuminate”, with its 15 minutes, is the most intriguing track because of its sounds. Light, high pitched initially, slowly settling in with a bowed guitar and then gradually turning into a beautiful ambient structure/composition. “Erupt” is kinda loud in a way, with sudden breaks in sound and harsh crossovers; it’s like Gagi wants to describe the moment of standing up after meditation, Screaming ‘I’m alive!’. The final track, “Arise”, is all about harmonics, harmonization of who we are and what we’ve become. The guitar melody at the end breaks the mood for me, but having said that, it’s not an album about who I have become. Another lovely release by our favourite little Amsterdam label.
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