Establishing the mood with ethereal vocalizations and a dimensional, psychedelic sitar soundscape, Lucian Lacewing opens Land Of Enchantment with cinematic intrigue, a high spiritual quotient and notions of ancient-futurism.
The opus expands with choral synths, cerebral drone elements, and an immersive energy which feels like the score to a movie like Dune, a live action sequel to Aladdin or even The Mummy. We appreciate the dynamism and the emergence of an Eastern horn motif.
There is a syncopated energy to the production that keeps us enthralled throughout. Poignantly released on 4.20 in the wake of the new moon, the composition holds a trippy adjacency and cosmic frequency which is nothing short of hypnotic. Repeated hooks resonate like meditative mantras, and the finale builds into an energy that feels like it could be the start of a journey into another dimension.
Speaking on the release, Lucian confesses, “I don’t listen to much modern drone music, but I do love the drone like nature of Indian classical music. Rajan and Sajan Mishra to name just one act. This definitely influenced the drone like effect of the trumpets and vocals within the choruses.”
Alluding to his upcoming record, Lucian adds, “I also really like cellos and handpans. There wasn’t any space for either in this song but both feature a lot in my upcoming album: When We Were Hydrogen.”
The title of the album certainly nods to existential themes, which are very present in Land Of Enchantment. With reference to the name of the track, Lucian confirms, “The title actually appears on the number plate of David Bowie‘s car in the Nicolas Roeg film: The Man Who Fell To Earth. Bowie is a musical god to me.”
We learn that Land Of Enchantment features vocal contributions from Qualia Cascade, Annette Buckley, Tanya Goknel, Julie Baker, Claire Few, Laura Peglar, Sarah Joy Pearson, and Eleanor Murphy, all of whom are friends and past collaborators of the artist.
The track was mixed in collaboration with Stef Hambrook, who is also known for his work as a drummer and composer with Minima, a group that creates new scores for vintage black-and-white films. Lucian recalls attending a performance of Minima’s rescore of Hitchcock’s The Lodger, noting that their interpretation brought greater emotional depth to the film than its original score.
Needless to say, we are in awe, and also greatly appreciate the accompanying visuals for the composition. Whilst we look forward to experiencing the entirety of When We Were Hydrogen, we have added Land Of Enchantment to our New Music Spotlight playlist, and our TIMELESS and TRIPPY playlists.