Dressed In Streams - Vande Mataram (cassette edition)
Fresh off the very well received (and quickly sold out) demo, लड़ाई का मैदान, Dressed In Streams returns with a new attack. लड़ाई का मैदान roughly translates to “battlefields” in English, and what comes after the battlefields are cleared? Victorious celebration. Ecstatic joy. Vande Mataram is a traditional Indian patriotic song, from the late 1800s, adopted as the national song of India in 1937. Vande Mataram, or “I Bow To Thee, Motherland” is found here, re-imagined and rewritten by Dressed In Streams. What was then a Indian patriotic song intended to pay tribute to the glorious motherland to and inspire the people in their fight for freedom, is now given a respectful 21st century update. The freedom has been won, but the struggle continues for India. As लड़ाई का मैदान explored a past violent trajectory, Vande Mataram takes in a deep breath and unleashes a single 30 minute prayer to Bharat Mata. When peace is declared and yet war and suffering for many still exist, the time has come to India to rise up under its new national anthem. Across the half-hour run time, Dressed In Streams reinterprets Vande Mataram as only they can. Churning, blurry black metal riffs, hazy synth layers, and elephant-heavy drumming propel the pained vocal delivery of sole member अकेला. Generational pain and ancient blood memory boil over across this imposing imperial march. Presented in six movements, taking names from the first six lines of the Vande Mataram, this piece of music is truly meant to be listened as a single unmolested experience. Black metal, raga, tablas, and tanpura collide in a tenebrous exaltation of the greatest nation in history… India.
On Indian flag green windowless cassette and saffron tinted cassette case. With download. Strictly limited.
All music / lyrics by अकेला. Written and recorded in Houston, Texas USA.
Additional mixing / assistance by Damian Master. Alto, Michigan USA.
Vande Mataram (Mother, I Bow To Thee!)
Vande Mataram (Rich With Thy Hurrying Streams,)
Vande Mataram (Bright With Thy Orchard Gleams,)
Vande Mataram (Cool With The Winds Of Delight,)
Vande Mataram (Dark Fields Waving, Mother Of Might,)
Vande Mataram (Mother Free.)