Setting the tone with an industrial, electric guitar soundscape with high octane, rolling drums, Ivan Beecroft opens Carousel with a timeless nature, and metaphorical, yet relatable prose.
The opus expands with cerebral depth, as we are taken on a thought-provoking journey tapping into a progressive rock meets grunge energy. We appreciate the nature of Ivan’s message, and connect with the source of the concept of the song, which brings to mind the lack of control that we might face as we are based on a spinning rock in outer space.
A luscious, minor guitar solo teases us further, showcasing the instrumental genius that we have learnt to love from the composition. We learn that Carousel was written and recorded two months into the start of Melbourne’s controversial extended lockdowns.
Speaking on the message of the piece, Ivan Beecroft confesses, “The inspiration came from rereading George Orwell’s 1984 the month before – the song seemed to write itself one day in my dining room.”
The visionary artist continues, “During that time there was a constant barrage of press conferences with slogans reminiscent of Orwellian Newspeak, such as “staying apart keeps us together”. One event in particular sparked my ire: a police minister encouraged people to spy on and inform on their neighbours, hence the angry energy of this track.”
He adds, “Its lyrics have an indignant defiance with an abundance of pure rage, expressed succinctly in the line “It’s not too late to stop this living hell”. The song has an eerie prophetic quality to it, foreshadowing events that happened well after it was recorded.”
The philosophical creator concludes, “In summary, Carousel is to me personally like a historical documentation of how I and lots of other Melburnians felt during this period. Each time I listen to that song it’s hard to not get emotional as it brings back a flood of feelings that are still too difficult to put into words.”
We love the depth of what Ivan Beecroft offers with his intentional brand of song creation, and have added Carousel to our New Music Spotlight playlist, whilst we continue to stream the star’s wider discography, and immerse ourselves in his hyper reality music video universe.