Review: Orchards of a Futile Heaven Breaks New Ground for The Body and Dis Fig
If you’re looking for an album that dives deep into dark and haunting soundscapes, weaving together industrial metal, noise rock, and avant-garde electronica, then Orchards of a Futile Heaven by The Body & Dis Fig is your jam.
Out now via Thrill Jockey, it’s a collaborative effort between veteran experimental musicians The Body and electronic artist Dis Fig, resulting in a unique and unsettling sonic experience
The album is permeated by a sense of desperation and hopelessness, exploring themes of loneliness, struggling for meaning in a bleak world, and grappling with existential angst. But despite the dominant themes, moments of beauty and introspection emerge. “Eternal Hours,” for instance, features ethereal vocals and shimmering instrumentation, offering a glimmer of light within the darkness.
To say this record pushes boundaries is an understatement. It blends harsh industrial textures with ambient soundscapes and even incorporating samples of spoken word and field recordings. This harsh dissonance creates a sense of unease and disorientation, mirroring the album’s thematic exploration of inner turmoil.
“The Body & Dis Fig” sets the stage with pounding drums, distorted guitars, and unsettling vocal samples, immediately immersing the listener in the album’s dark atmosphere.”Worthless” features dissonant guitars and anguished vocals, expressing feelings of self-doubt and worthlessness.
“Eternal Hours” is a more introspective track, featuring ethereal vocals, shimmering instrumentation, and a sense of melancholic beauty amidst the darkness. While I love the dark and heavy stuff, this is by far one of my favorites because of the way it breaks up the denseness of the record.
“The Process” is a harrowing and intense track with distorted guitars, pounding drums, and desperate vocals, representing the struggle for meaning in a seemingly meaningless world. “The Unravelling” brings the album to a fittingly bleak finale, with distorted guitars and haunting vocals fading out into silence. “Holy Lane” is probably my favorite song, weaving in accordion of all things and also melodic guitars that clash with the harshness of the rest of the music. The track’s dissonance emphasizes the tension between despair and resilience.
“Coils of Kaa” builds on the album’s unsettling atmosphere with its industrial soundscapes and haunting vocal refrains. The grinding guitars add a sense of urgency, reflecting the album’s exploration of existential dread and the feeling of being trapped in a cycle of negativity.
Orchards of a Futile Heaven is not an album for the faint of heart. It’s a challenging and confrontational listen, but for those willing to delve into its depths, it offers a rewarding experience. The album’s unique blend of genres, unsettling atmosphere, and exploration of dark themes create a powerful and lasting impression.
The Body & Dis Fig’s Orchards of a Futile Heaven is out now.
