Voluptas Mors: “Inception” – brilliant in a warm, enveloping, and devilish way!
Voluptas Mors is a Barcelona based electronic project made up of Ramon (producer, keyboards, guitars) and Laura (producer, electronic drums, percussion), joined by a set of vocalists to add more depth and dynamism to their elements of trip-hop, downtempo, chill lounge and nu-jazz, with pop and dance influences. The project has just dropped their stunning and most soulful project to date – the eight track album “Inception”. This new release delivers great vibes, nothing short of genius. It has a warm and trippy downtempo, electro and organic blended sound, with obvious influences of soul and jazz. I love bands like this, as they take what’s great about everything, and blend it together to make their own sound. Experts at creating immersive soundscapes and building an intimate ambience that is deep and drool-worthy, Voluptas Mors just keep getting better.
These songs are, everyone one of them, brilliant in a warm, enveloping, and devilish way. These are the songs to which hair is tucked behind ears, and candles flicker on romantic veneers. It’s the kind of album that makes you believe anyone, listening to it, could be a good lover and dancer if they just let the notes take over. Voluptas Mors brings a hot honey glow to the sounds of electronica, as they execute some dizzying and hypnotic sleights-of-hand. It’s a great soundtrack for seduction, and the taunt of temptation. Give Voluptas Mors a chance, and they may just steal your soul.
Voluptas Mors has always been eclectic, relaxing and powerful, and this record does not shy away from any of those. The album has the all project’s staples – seductive brass interludes, groovy melodies, driving percussion, and thumping basslines.
And from the moment you hit play on the opening track, the playlist literally offers up a treasure trove of vocalists that ooze sensuality and worldly talent. Case in point “I’m Falling Down Again”— with its breezy and soulful melodic airs, embodies the effortless emotional slink that Voluptas Mors has long perfected over the course of their time together.
“Elevate My Head” exudes the same kind of musical richness and diversity of sound that fans and critics alike have come to expect from the duo. The piano driven tune showcasing another instance of superb female vocals, is an impressive addition to their already sublime collection.
“Gates Of Perfection” represents an absolute standout, in terms of resonating instrumentation and atmospheric persuasion. The combination of male and female vocals adds a harmonic dynamicity that is nothing short of mesmerizing. This is one of my favorite songs in the entire Voluptas Mors catalog.
“Queens Playing Games” is a simmering cesspool of emotional manipulation that rides a tenacious slow burning beat, only eclipsed in beauty by the melodic huskiness of the vocals and the waves of sultry synths on “Love’s So Strong”. The feisty and fiery “Heal This” brings a motif built on ominous percussion and an edgy urgency that pushes the boundary of Voluptas Mors’ usual musical hunting ground.
It sounds nothing like any of the other tracks, but like everything this duo is capable of. “Give Me What I Want” maintains the same musical urgency but infuses a dreamy vocal into the mix, creating something truly original and distinctive as a result.
Voluptas Mors closes the recording with the brooding and building “This Dream”, which goes on to develop more dimensions from its starting point, with layered electronic tones and twangy guitars, while building momentum and drive with its sharp use of drums.
This is music that lands patently with a sense of purpose. It sounds as though the featuring vocalist and music arrangement is laying out an explosive blueprint for a genre revolution. As a standalone project among Voluptas Mors other works, the album, “Inception”, most definitely sits perched as their best achievement ever.
