I experienced one of those hair-raising (in a good way) moments when I discovered an album called We Come From The Sun last week, via a serendipitous series of internet clicks. One moment I was learning about Welsh folk music; then, via a playlist featuring Cerys Matthews, I stumbled on the first track from this album, the incredibly powerful Flame Lily.
The album (released in January 2021) is a collaborative project between Cerys Matthew, Hidden Orchestra (the name given to the solo studio project of the obviously ridiculously talented Joe Acheson) and 10 British poets.
Flame Lily is the opening track on the album and stands up easily to scrutiny on its own. It's a story told - powerfully - by Zimbabwean-born artist Ma.Moyo. The Flame Lily is the national flower of Zimbabwe, and, here, it's being used also as a metaphor for powerful women: "... women of love, with no pause but plenty caution; who love with no men around"
It captures you from the start - an electronic tone, subtle African drums fading in ... then, just as you've understood it and found yourself some comfort, 7 seconds in there's the drop, bassy drums thudding in. You're quickly overpowered by ominous, fuzzy, synthed guitars before a lone voice speaks out.
"I come from them ..."
It's arrestingly dark, and as soon as you hear it, you know there's something important being said.
Another thing that strikes me is the bold use of silences. It's such an effective thing to do, when done well, and it's masterful here. There are points when it all drops away to nothing - absolute deafening stillness, for 3 seconds, 4 seconds - and that feels like an eternity these days.
This is not a long piece, but it doesn't need to be. It feels efficient, and honest; pared down to the essentials; leaving you curious, and asking questions.
MA.MOYO came into Abbey Road, went into the vocal booth and started to read Flame Lily and everyone in the control room came to a hush. It was a story that filled the studio and the imagery MA.MOYO created was remarkable. It was clear from that moment that it was something special and the music needed to walk alongside MA.MOYO’s rhythm in the poem and it had to have quite strident beats. So that’s what we did, there was no holding back we just went where the poem led us.
I wish I could have been there.
The track is below and the full album is available here.