Ora Cogan – Bells In The Ruins
Prism Tongue Records – 13 July 2020
Being in the moment with Ora Cogan requires giving up control and surrendering to Bells In The Ruins. As a collection of songs, there are tides to contend with and some rough waters to be conquered, anyone expecting a simple trip might need to head elsewhere.
There’s a gentleness to Sleeping which is comforting. Guitars are washed in a bed of sustain, suggesting a feeling of comfort, yet one doesn’t want to look too far into the future. Bells peal as Skull opens while a bass synth begins a sinister riff overlaid by Cogan’s beautiful, eerie vocals. Drums being to move the fevered track forward while layers of vocals only add to an unsettling feeling, haunting listeners until the ending comes somewhat abruptly.
Doubling the bass line of Tell with higher-pitched keyboards, Cogan’s vocals first normalize then haunt the proceedings. The clattering of Justin Devries drums infect Kills with a nervous energy, made slightly more mad by the guitars of David Parry.
Locked in the ultimate battle, The Devil swirls amidst Reggie Bast’s bass and synth while Cogan adds guitar sneers that haunt as much as her own repeated vocal offering, ”God.” Who is actually winning this contest is always in question.
The opening of Secret almost seems like a relief from some of the intensity of the previous pieces. In contrast, it seems almost conventional, especially when followed by Alta, a gauzy piece of layered vocals and minor-keyed guitars and synths. A fine balance inhabits Crime with a gentleness to one guitar counterbalanced by another that pounds in at twice the volume, slashing to give the piece an unexpected edge.
An aura of danger inhabits a number of the tracks on Bells In The Ruins, weaving sounds and making it a somewhat uneasy listening experience, the presence of Sleeping being one of the few tracks that actually sets a less foreboding tone. It’s as if there truly are ghosts residing in the architecture of disc, hiding within the notes.
The aural equivalent of waking up from a fevered dream and having to check out exactly where you are, Bells In The Ruins reveals myriads of dark options exist. While we marvel at the choices and chances that Ora Cogan takes, this is a collection that requires both care and consideration. While the thorns outnumber the roses, both are necessary; one cannot exist without the other.
Order Bells in the Ruins via Bandcamp: https://oracogan.bandcamp.com/album/bells-in-the-ruins