Stillness is an impermeable force on “Alas, Departing” from Sarah Davachi’s Two Sisters. Based on the 15th-century piece, “Alas Departynge is Ground of Woo,” Davachi, with vocalists Jessika Kenney and Dorothy Berry, channels an ageless spirit into evocative, intimate ruminations. Tones intersect with surprising movements, holes in the temporal veil where phantom arrangements pour in to illuminate a focused path. Kenney and Berry’s voices hold a sacred power in their lilting phrasings and ephemeral timbre, but beneath that rich sheen is a gossamer foundation. Davachi’s composition is vaporous and emotive while expressing the closeness of its whispered secrets. Dicky Bahto’s cryptic video embodies these dichotomies with slow-moving, mysterious visuals as though there’s a code to unlock. Resolutions may be fleeting, but “Alas, Departing” blooms in the ecstasy of restraint.
Two Sisters will be released on September 9 via Davachi’s Late Music. Pre-order HERE.
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Haunting, mesmerizing. A gem.