In the final installment of VÍZ’s immaculate Veils trilogy, the darkness is a cocoon for contemplation and forgiveness. The angular cacophony becomes a kind of surrealistic sonic architecture that Réka Csiszér (VÍZ) wraps in incandescent whisps of beguiling vocals. Disjointed piano arrangements play off each other with an odd, playful spirit like echoes of a past life hidden amongst the trees. But Csiszér’s voice connects every moment and feeling with steadfast confidence and graceful determination.
Csiszér and filmmaker Radiana Basso, once again, created a piece of stunning visual alchemy. The little light that makes it through this midnight shroud is cool, inviting, but it puts Csiszér in the spotlight. Moments hang in the air for eons. Figures disappear, our past lives are forgiven, as the reel fades to oblivion and illuminated, shrouded figures welcome us to the other side.
The magic goes quiet. The night lives on as the Veils trilogy drifts into the ether, held forever. Csiszér and Basso have given the world quite a gift. Veils is out now via BlauBlau Records. Listen and purchase HERE.
Below is Csiszér’s statement on “Roter Berg”:
‘Roter Berg (Veil III)’ was filmed in a forest in Ticino, Switzerland, and its main inspiration was a vintage photograph the director Radiana Basso had hanging on her wall for a long time: a man, pierced by a tree, walking with an open wound, holding hands with a woman, smiling. This image was a great inspiration for the visual aspects of the subject I wanted to explore on ‘Roter Berg’: a tale about the final act of forgiving each other and of self-forgiveness. ‘Roter Berg’ could be seen as somewhat linked to my parents, as well as to myself, and is closely tied to a place very dear to my father Imre, a hill in Vienna called Roter Berg.
My solo project VÍZ symbolizes my attempt to connect on a deeper level with my Transylvanian roots, my Hungarian mother tongue, and my ancestors. The strange old Transylvanian folk tales my grandmother used to tell me at bedtime, and the mysterious depth of the woods that surrounded her home had a major influence on my artistry and more specifically ‘Veils’. Profound stories and memories that transcend the stereotypes commonly associated with Transylvania. As much as I like to play with vampiric imagery and its inherent sensuality, I’m also aware that Dracula is for the tourists. True horror happens in our minds and is shaped by our hidden fears.
Growing up with parents who had a big passion for the supernatural was highly significant. I was always very attracted to stories which dealt with simulated realities, doppelgängers, and multiple personas. Discovering Italian giallo movies as a teenager also had a huge impact on me. I always found something poetic and romantic in vintage horror movies like these.
My work in theatre and film has shaped and inspired me the most. I recognize the importance of work that is steeped in conceptual ideas and contextual elements, and I value total works of art. Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by the combination of film and music. One element influences the other: when I compose, I see images and when I see images, I hear music. Image, sound, and performance are inseparable for me. I aim to merge different creative fields in an interdisciplinary way, in order to create a complex poetic world that provokes the imagination of the viewer/listener. In the best case, this allows the audience to discover something about themselves. My desire is to create audio-visual experiences that go beyond music. I hope to have achieved this with the film trilogy and with ‘Veils’.
A great teaching that I learned over the years was to understand how important it is to give up control, trust your instincts, and draw from the void. Losing the fear of imperfection was also an important step, which has a lot to do with self-acceptance and self-love.
The creation of the ‘Veils’ project was very important to me, not only because it is my first solo record, but also because it is the most personal work I have done so far. It was a huge experiment for me, to be guided only by sound and to try not to control the process too much. It was also the most therapeutic record, as it deals with the death of my father and confronts a sense of alienation that has been with me for a long time, a feeling rooted in a kind of phantom longing for a place that most probably does not exist, which perhaps is an experience that every child refugee goes through. ‘Veils’ is about taking off all the layers of the past that cover the real self. This was a step towards becoming a more authentic version of myself.
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