The Crystal Sound Project

​The Crystal Sound Project

In the willow dream
enovaerecords; 2024

4.1 out of 5 - TOP ALBUM

​​By ​Dino DiMuro

The Crystal Sound Project is a collaboration between artists Viktor Bénév and Bilyana Furnadzhieva. The duo have released two previous albums and this is their third, titled in the willow dream. In reading about the project I was almost certain I had heard music by this collaboration before, but it turned out I’d reviewed two solo works by Bénév very much in the same experimental, electronic and organic realm.

The project is described as “a fusion of porcelain sculptures, sound objects, electroacoustic music, poetry and languages, all intertwining to create a rich, eclectic experience.”  The project is further explained as “bringing together diverse cultures and traditions through the universal language of music and improvisation, shattering conventional boundaries—geographical, political, or linguistic.” Furnadzhieva is credited with “sound sculptures in porcelain and electronics” while Bénév’s sculptures are porcelain, piano and electronics. Visual artist and singer Åsa Öhrn and Russian flutist Artëm Naumenko are also featured.

The tracks themselves are built from experimental rock, electronic, free jazz and neo-classical compositions, surrounded by the signature sculptural sounds of the Project. Thematically, it delves into topics such as war, isolation, love, loss and resurrection. 

With the opening track “The Screen” it’s clear this is a headphones album, or at least an immersive stereo production. We start with a mini-symphony of percussive and scraping sounds, each with its own unique timbre and resonance. Åsa Öhrn joins the track with powerful vocals and spoken word, as the music becomes a kind of otherworldly jazz combo with prominent piano and bass. The effect is deeply hypnotic. “Meeting Point” is the first track to feature flutist Artëm Naumenko playing alongside what sounds like a “slightly” treated piano. The melodies here are intricate but absolutely lovely, and could easily play in a movie montage for a non-American film. “Hope Is Forbidden For The Loving” has a jazz combo-feel at its center with more deeply resonant vocals by Öhrn, which is periodically embraced by a seeming locust-cloud of distorted voices or other sounds.  

“Nara” slows the tempo way down, combining flute, sawing strings and keyboards for a distinctly moody excursion. I believe the sung vocals could be Swedish. The balance of the song is played on a very low-tuned guitar with percussive bells or chimes with judicious feedback. It’s a mysterious and bracing journey. “Rain” features similar instrumentation and feels like a track played backward, though it certainly is not. The male and female voices take turns reciting a poem in English and Bulgarian. Different time signatures come and go without any fuss and the whole is surprisingly serene.

“Nocturnal Mood” starts with a rumination about how many trains cover the earth, which will get my attention every time! This one alternates among spoken, sung and whispered word, man and woman, with the background piano and percussion providing a sort of Greek Chorus. Totally immersive and a bit spooky.

The concluding track “Abborredansen” starts with gently rolling waves, then introduces a lovely chiming piano with Öhrn again singing in Swedish (at least I hope so!). The percussion suggests wind chimes with the waves still continuing underneath. A sort of miniature maelstrom builds with the piano melodies and electronic keys, before the triumphant conclusion. 

There’s no way I did this amazing work justice with my simple review, but hopefully I’ve given you an idea of what you might hear and can experience for yourself. Recommended!

enovaerecords.com/crystal-sound-project-in-the-willow-dream

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