Viridescens is an offering from the duo of Francesco Cavaliere and Tomoko Sauvage to leave the corporeal self behind and dig into the furthest reaches of synasthesia. Everything throughout Viridescens is about the color green. From inspiration to the color of instruments to, simply, the general feeling of these pieces, all the world is green.
Throughout Viridescens, a simplicity washes over everything, blurring layers into whimsical landscapes. Echoes throughout “戴绿帽⼦ (dài lǜ màozi) a man with a green hat” become beacons, calling chartreuse swarms through the forest and into view. Rising rhythms become marching orders, stamping translucent images into the soft ground. Sharp edges are siphoned off, leaving the spongy remnants to flit amongst the trees. This abounding aural foliage spreads into the beautiful and strangely haunting “Rainforest Synthesis.” Again, Sauvage and Cavaliere channel greenwood spirits with swaying synthesis and effervescent tonal sweeps.
The enchanting dance of synthesizers and water on “Twin Emerald Dolphins” are choreographed in a way that exudes childlike excitement, giving the piece an unexpected emotional depth. Two paths vie for attention, moving mechanically, but with purpose. Seafoam sheen glistens across the surface, tones lilting across the waves before sinking beneath the sea. Baptism in this cool, emerald fire brings us closer to the ocean floor.
I keep coming back to green as happiness in every shade throughout Viridescens. Within the minimal passages and aqueous explorations are simple joys and expressions. It’s music that finds a strong voice by immersing itself in clear concepts and channeling the feeling within. Tomoko Sauvage and Francesco Cavaliere are certainly bathed in green light, but even more they are floating free.
If you like what Foxy Digitalis does, please consider supporting us on Patreon.
