Cassette Review: Anna Clock "Celestial"

[€5 // Edition of 50 // https://annaclock.bandcamp.com/album/celestial-2]

In the time I've spent listening to most everything under the sun that artists will release on cassette, I have come to find that the perhaps most intriguing and difficult genre for me to place is that of one that is a cross between "noise" but yet also has either horns like jazz or strings in a classical music sense.   I sometimes can call it "jazz noise" or something else, and yes it does remind me of the artists formerly known as Stephanie Lak, but I just wish there was a good word to describe it.

Actually, I don't wish there was a good word to describe it.   If we called it "x", then it would simply be reduced to "x", as in "Oh, that's just more x".    Doesn't it seem like once something gets labeled and we tend to overuse that label it then seems to run its course and we sort of move onto the next genre of the moment?    Perhaps it is just me who is fascinated by our need to classify every single thing, but honestly, I could never see myself organizing my cassettes, records or compact discs by genre.  (Ew)

"Celestial" begins with a blissful ohm drone.    There are vocal harmonies mixed in, but only in the way that they match the music and don't actually project words.   Strings and cymbals converge as well and this forms a sound which I can only describe as trapped souls taking a rollercoaster ride.    It then slows down, softer with the strings becoming more distinct.    This all comes into some classical type of singing which has words this time.

I've listened to this a number of times now, but I still feel that the best comparison for this style of vocals here is somewhere between Judy Garland and that classical movie sense ("Somewhere Over the Rainbow" does linger in my mind) and then also something like an old animated Disney classic such as Snow White or Cinderella.  

I'm not sure which movie it is exactly, because I don't recall either that well off the top of my head (They could both use a fresh viewing by me soon) but I just imagine the singing as being part of an animated movie where the main character is having her hair done and dress put on with the help of the woodland creatures (birds and such)   I do know this type of scene does exist in that one Disney movie where the princess goes from cartoon to real life, but that's about as far as I get because I feel like it should be in some Disney animated classic.  (Sleeping Beauty?)

Chaotic horns do make their presence felt as this goes somewhere between those classical strings and that type of sound I don't like to call "jazz noise" but sometimes do for lack of a better term.     It's just really good and I like to think of it as simply being music though I realize that doesn't really help anyone in their decision of whether or not to listen to it.   There is just so much beauty in here no matter how non-traditionally the music seems to be delivered.