In a time of unending digital content being thrown at you 24/7, so many are about instantaneous gratification to the point of entirely missing out on something deeper. We’re one to take their time to let something sink in, to fully enjoy all of the details big and small. When it comes to some bands, it’s especially necessary to allow a release to simmer in order to fully contemplate and appreciate what’s been crafted. When it comes to Dessiderium’s music in general, this state of thought is without doubt necessary, and that notion rings especially true with the hotly anticipated follow-up to the transcendental journey that is Aira, titled Keys to the Palace.
Everything man Alex Haddad’s most outstanding musical quality, besides his obvious instrumental skills, is his wholly one-of-a-kind approach to songwriting. Never repeating the same idea twice is a hallmark of Dessiderium, with each album containing a stirring narrative and differing sonic qualities, though you just know that it’s Haddad behind it all, plucking all the strings, both figuratively and literally. Whilst Aira had a darker, dissonant tonality, Keys to the Palace is brighter and more airy, almost emitting an optimistic sonic quality. However, there’s much, much more bubbling under the surface, and this despairing tale of a dark and frightful future will take the listener on a harrowing journey that’s unlike anything that anyone has quite laid down before.
I don’t want to focus too strongly on specific tracks, as the six on offer (though some have multiple parts) combine to form a work more than a collection of songs. Each connects to the other, reminding of the sort of upper echelon craftsmanship that acts like Wilderun and An Abstract Illusion showcase on the regular. Dessiderium is truly progressive music, but don’t let that label dissuade or hoodwink – there’s plenty of death metal elements present, along with a cacophony of melody and forward-thinking compositional quality, resulting in profound moments of hope, heartache, destruction, and despair.
The heaviest moments will rip one into shreds, while the brighter spots, while still tinged in clever darkness, soar into the listener’s psyche. “A Dream That Wants Me Dead” serves as a fine example; tearing one apart both in the brooding aesthetic and the melodic sensibilities all at once in a delicately deliberate prance that’s impossible to resist. Two-parter “Pollen for the Bees” will dazzle while taking countless differing turns to form into a spectacle of creative muscle that’s truly memorable. The trio that makes up the finale title track will leave one stunned, running the gamut of emotional heft to a rousing conclusion. Of note, Haddad expands his vocal approach throughout Keys to the Palace, producing a wider range of clean voicings than heard previously on any of Dessiderium’s previous releases, while also providing plenty of his signature deep growls and emotive screams to weave a tight balance.
Keys to the Palace is a fantastical, soulful next step on the journey that is Dessiderium and its infinitely talented single creator; a project that has doubtlessly carved out a niche that nobody can replicate. If the listener truly allows the time and immersion necessary to embrace what’s being offered, unquestionable rewards await for doing so. In an overly saturated musical landscape where standing out and boldly metastasizing a unique entity is inherently risky and difficult, Dessiderium continues to defy all convention and bare its craftsman’s full self into the music in an imaginative yet raw way that needs to be celebrated and shouted from the proverbial rooftops. Put the phone down for a bit, put on Keys to the Palace, and let the music whisk you away. Feels great, doesn’t it?