After last year's widely acclaimed third full-length album Bloem found its way into the hearts and minds of many listeners, it did not take long for the duo of M. Koops and B. Mollema to return to the studio and record an immediate follow up. But do not be fooled by this quick succession of releases; Gegrepen door de Geest der Zielsontluiking is in many ways a polar opposite of what Bloem had to offer.
Guided by a spirit of self-transcendence, Fluisteraars sought to indulge in a deep current of animalistic urge. From murky depths to the high towers of the soul, Gegrepen... is an exaltation of a new language, a breaking down of barriers and revaluation of underlying routine. Utilizing a minimalist and spontaneous recording style proved fruitful in this endeavor: only doing one take of every instrument, only recording the natural acoustics of the room instead of the close-up registration of sound so ingrained in modern production. The duo recorded exactly one song each studioday. No overdubs, no synths - they started every day by setting up a new sound palette for each song.
This focus on creative process becomes abundantly clear when opener Het Overvleugelen der Meute immediately bursts out towards the listener in a torrent of extrasensory vision. It does not take long before the trademark compositional competence the band is known for comes into clear focus: the tempest clouds part ways and exquisite melodic lines weave a tapestry of dreamlike imagery. Finally, the listener is lulled into a trancelike percussive meditation before Brand Woedt in mijn Graf continues onwards within a realm of strange weightlessness, interjected by forceful moments of downpour. Closer Verscheuring in de Schemering is Fluisteraars longest song to date, clocking in at more than twenty minutes. A dizzying volley of arrows pierces the mind, but the duos quiver never seems to empty. Perhaps the most urgent piece on Gegrepen, its regenerative quality and injections of free-form improvisation cleanses the soul. If Tangerine Dream decided to record a black metal album, this is what it would sound like.
Fluisteraars states purposefully that this album is intended as an exaltation of the psyche. Gegrepen door de Geest der Zielsontluiking proves that on this forsaken planet, at least music is able to succeed in this aim.
Once again the album was recorded at E-Sound Studios by Fluisteraars, engineered by Thomas Cochrane, mixed by M. Koops and Thomas Cochrane and finally mastered by Greg Chandler at Priory Recording Studios.
