I recently crossed paths with Greg and the label Ur Muzik, a guy and a label that rather focus on quality than on quantity. That’s why they do release only one up to three albums each year, and up till now there aren’t but nine release, despite the label’s start in 2009. An example of one of these releases is Foxgloves And Bluebells, created by the blonde fairy Merissa d’Erlette under the Artefactum moniker. Once again via Ur Muzik (if I am not mistaken also Merissa is part of the staff, along with Greg), Artefactum now release another album, being called Rosarium Hermeticum. But pay attention, for this is not a new album. Actually it had been self-released in 2006, but Ur Muzik did have the ingenious idea to re-issue this material. The original stuff was written and recorded in 2005, and the re-release comes with two bonus tracks that have been created in 2013. The edition is limited to 500 copies, and it comes with totally new artwork done by Merissa herself.
…are you flesh or are you spirit…
The conceptual inspiration lies in the historical writings of Marsilius Ficinus, a humanist who lived in the 15th century, and who sort of revived the philosophies, theories, theologies and ideas of Plato especially. I won’t go deeper into the subject, for this isn’t an historical or biographic essay, but in case you might be interested, you can surf on the thing called wwweb, okay…
The whole journey, and it’s quite a lengthy trip, is based on quietude, introversion, hypnosis and integrity especially. Introspective and calm rituals and drones define the basic structures of Artefactum’s sonic presence. The album has been created on a basement of mesmerizing, sometimes even ritual soundwaves, strengthened (or is it: ‘obscured’) by haunting vocal lines by Merissa herself. Despite a certain minimalism in execution and a limitation in aural levels, Rosarium Hermeticum acts like an addictive entity, searching for the deeper experience, keeping the listener longing for more. And that ‘more’, well, it’s there, although you’ll have to dig for it. When disliking this specific genre, you better skip the continuation, but in case you’re open-minded enough to delve into the deepest pits of the underground, getting satisfied by contemplation and nihilistic richness (it does exist, believe me!) … The field recordings, cinematic creations and minimal-orchestral noise-collages share a mutual vision on the ominous aspects of self-identity and introspection, and that’s, I guess, quite a big deal of this project’s spirit.
Consider this album the ultimate outcome if you would mingle Aghast’s Hexerei Im Zwielicht Der Finsternis (you do not have to agree, but you will if you’re willing to ‘enter’ this project’s dimension) with the feminine (quite an important addition!) ambient subtleties of ProtoU (once again the female touch adds that specific, anti-male tranquillity, that absence of testosterone) …