On the album, Martin and Rosenqvist turn their inner sonic universe, perfected throughout more than a decade now, into a slow-burn score for nostalgia and the human condition, expressed through Niangji’s poetry on love, estrangement and frailty, in words, dance, and now music. Here, low rumbling drones are accented with thunder of noise, radio static, wind and crackling electricity, cradled by pensive piano chords and fluttering melodies, plucked banjo, and, of course, bowed cello. I love the repetitive progressions that, although they retain their structural notation, manage to convey all of the emotion through texture, dynamics and space. This is the signature sound of FTMOTS that many fans have come to love, and it delights in all its glory. The duo’s music has always possessed a cinematic quality, and with In Wind or Dust, they continue this trajectory, creating what essentially functions as a narrative without words, a story that unfolds through sound even if you haven’t seen the ballet.
In Wind or Dust continues the duo’s tradition of creating works that function as complete journeys rather than collections of disparate pieces. I think I covered every FTMOTS album here (maybe not A Broken House), and I have praised each single one. Their compositions have always been experienced as unified wholes, and this album follows suit, with tracks that blend in an uninterrupted suite, intended to be listened to in a single sitting. And yes, this includes a nearly eight-minute somewhat challenging drone of “Rusty People”, which creates a deep tension that begs to be drowned in and then awaken to what lies beyond. There’s a powerful connection between From the Mouth of the Sun’s music and the natural world that feels especially resonant here. The title evokes elemental forces, complementing the project’s name, which suggests a cosmic stance. In my 2012 interview with From the Mouth of the Sun, I asked Dag Rosenqvist about the origin of their project name:
Initially the [project’s] title came to me in a dream where I was running up a hill and once I came to the summit I was blinded by this radiant bright sun reminding me of an Aztec Sun God. The light was so intense I could barely look at it and then it opened its mouth and out came a sound unlike anything I’ve ever heard. It was like the most overpowering drone I’ve ever heard, penetrating every fiber in my body, filling me with light.
— Dag Rosenqvist
For those who have followed this project from its inception, the arrival of new material is always cause for celebration. Each release has managed to land on year-end lists, and based on early reception, In Wind or Dust seems destined to continue this tradition. For those who value atmospheric, emotionally resonant music, From the Mouth of the Sun remains essential listening, and In Wind or Dust appears to be yet another profound chapter in their ongoing musical exchange. Pick up this digital-only release directly from Bandcamp.
