Fable
“Fable” is the second duet from Lawrence English and Stephen Vitiello. At first, chimes dapple the music, lighting up the sky and painting it peacefully with some kiss-light tones. A warm welcome awaits you; a comfortable cradle in the clouds. The innocent tones are safe from any kind of danger as they perch high above the treetops — “Over Inland”. A sudden clashes take us away from the deep sanctuary of the wild, and the local invasion, which goes under the alias of human civilization, upsets the natural rhythm of the music. It reminds us all that no matter how hard we try, we can’t always escape the trace of humanity. Out here, our relentless pursuit to take what isn’t ours has a pretty destructive effect on the ecosystem, the culture and the traditions of the people, and as a result the music changes right before our eyes.
Other exotic tones start to emerge, peeling back the leaves as they exit the dense forest. Shrieks and cries come from the left and from the right. The fierce roar of a tiger or another prowling animal strikes close to home. The chimes are reassuring, and they act as a glass wall that separates the listener from the venomous peril. A low hiss hits the floor, like a poisonous snake sneaking its way through the bush. A streak of sunshine lights up the music, but the light has been tainted by a sliver of a shadow that slowly hovers around. The usual distinction that separates a constriction from a hug narrows and then vanishes. The raspy sound of short, laboured breathing appears to be an answer.
Later on, the music turns mysterious, but the sleep-easy chimes are still around. They echo in invisible caverns and lost temples. Electronic tones mimic the sound of the strange birds that have had their original habitat destroyed. “That Caress, Inverted” is more of an ambient track. The gateway blows open and a cool draft slithers under the gaps in the dry stone. Secrets come to life. It unravels slowly, like the mummified body of an Egyptian pharaoh returning from the afterlife. “Tender Unison” brings us safely back to the cradle with a lovely ambient drone, floating like a balloon in the air. Despite its occasional mystery, Fable stays tender, like a kiss from a stranger.
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