Galdre Visions - Galdre Visions

Galdre Visions is a Leaving Records supergroup comprised of Olive Ardizoni (Green-House); South Asian-American sitarist, vocalist, and composer/producer Ami Dang; Diva Dompé (Yialmelic Frequencies, Diva & The Pearly Gates); and harpist/composer Nailah Hunter. These four artists were drawn together during 2020’s pandemic to remotely create collaborative music reflecting this unique and uncertain moment in history. Hunter describes the group’s dynamic: “Each member of the group provides a unique sonic lens with which to view the realms beyond this world. Each member's music recalls the sound of organic life in a different way.” Collectively inspired by Celtic mysticism, outer space, and New Age both classical and modern, Galdre Visions have crafted a powerful and timely document of the exploratory, healing power of music.

Ardizoni states, “Well, we are going through some extremely difficult times so there is no way that this project has not been influenced by that. I find that with writing music during difficult times you don’t really become aware, sonically, of the impact of that time until you listen to it way down the road. Writing this kind of music has always been a means of transmuting my pain into joy so that the listener can experience that by proxy.” Album-opener “Living Space Station (Bad Dream)” conjures an ominous atmosphere of strife, its lyrics alluding to unusual, unsettling, and nightmare-like events unfolding seemingly every day. Dang reflects, “Even though we're all stuck at home, the world is ripping itself apart right now, and all of this chaotic activity makes me feel like I'm slowly making my way through a thorny thicket, but I'm only moving in circles. The trees and animals look more menacing at every turn. But the music keeps me going, and it reminds me that there will be a clearing, that the darkness will turn to light, that a crystalline waterfall lies somewhere beyond this cycle of madness. We will only reach this place through continuous movement, change, and protection.” Stunning album-closer “The Sun Will Rise Again” ends on a positively ebullient note of optimism, a transcendent vision of hope and things to come. According to Ardizoni, “It acknowledges and validates this feeling of melancholy that comes from experiencing this seemingly never ending suffering while being able to maintain the awareness that it will be better again some day. We will be together again, building the communities that we need to build with a new sense of purpose.”

The transition from negativity to positivity serves as a central theme of the album. Hunter states, “To me, ‘New Age’ art often illustrates human reconnection to the earth and the ancestors as the portal to a bright new world.” Dompé adds, “I look around and see that the dysfunction and unsustainability of our society is being put under immense pressure and its flaws becoming undeniable. But with this project I have been experiencing collaboration through an awareness of mutual support … I think we have the potential to function more like this on a larger scale in our society if we could heal the issue of worth being tied to productivity.” Ardizoni writes, “For me, another theme of this project is pride. I’m proud to say that I have had the chance to collaborate with these amazing musicians. I’m proud to say that we are a group of people who are oftentimes underrepresented voices in the music industry, and here we are doing an awesome project together.”