Welcome all to 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿, a series of weekly reviews by Charles Connolly - an artist in his own right. Here, Charles delves into the greatest brand new singles brought to you by the best unsigned artists on our electrifying and eclectic set of 𝙉𝙚𝙬 𝘼𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩 𝙎𝙥𝙤𝙩𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 playlists.
𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙛 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 - 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚
Charles is not himself…
Ghosts do not exist. They just don’t. At least, I don’t think they do. No, they don’t. For the last hour I have been chatting with my twin brother about the idea, as I sit on my desk chair, and he sits most comfortably on my sofa. We have come to the conclusion that they don’t exist. Magic also, is not real. Only illusion and trickery. Wait a second. I don’t have a twin brother. I don’t even have a brother. Then who have I been talking to? And where the hell has he gone? Okay, he is not here anymore. Maybe he popped out for a bit of air. But no, wait. WHO is he? Who WAS he? And why is the sofa now facing the wall? Time for a cup of tea, to calm my nerves. Got to heave this sofa back to its former position first. JEEZ, it’s heavy. Right. Tea. Kettle on. Cup from cupboard, teabag from other cupboard. Where’s the cup?! Let’s try again. Right, CUP from cupboard. Ugh, forgot to plug in the kettle. Wait, I never unplug the kettle. Wait, it’s boiling! Where’s the damned CUP?? Okay, forget this. No tea. Back to the living room. Must turn that sofa. Wait, I turned the sofa! Oh thank God, my twin is back. That’s a relief. He turns the sofa, so I don’t have to. Now HE wants tea. Well HE can battle with the cup this time. He seems to be making a lot of noise in there; let’s have a look. Twin gone. Wait, I DON’T HAVE A TWIN!! Tea made, though. Well at least that’s something. Oh what a relief, my mother is here. Now I know SHE exists. She’ll calm me down. There’s something not quite right, though. She seems to be walking backwards, towards the window. I feel a little uncomfortable - her voice is much deeper than usual. The window falls from its frame. She is being sucked outwards into a chaotic hurricane. All she can say is “is this tea for me?”. The tea is really the last thing on my mind, right now… The whole flat (apartment, for you Americans) starts to disintegrate and rumble from below. I am alone. Flames start to grow from the cracks in the floor. Embers are shot upwards like mini fireworks. As I cower and curl up into a ball, wishing for my twin to comfort me - existing or not - a deep, dark and devilish music surrounds me. Enticing me with a fiery hand. I feel the urge to grab these boney fingers and succumb to my only chance, whatever that may be.
A harsh, loud whisper: “I am The Blindfold Experience” emanates without a vision. A church organ rises from the ashes and makes me realise I am not going back to anything I know, any time soon. Cymbals spatter sparks into my eyes - it soothes when it should burn. Guitars crash down like an anvil on my fragile, confused head. Drums are tied in perfect synchronisation with said axes. I think I have just met the devil himself. Just as one would expect - pretty bloody terrifying. Stairs appear - the only way is down. Everything multiplies with each step. More guitars, more drums. Even the organ is a perfect circle, surrounding me and thus making escape impossible. Not that I want to - that’s the funny thing. Although it seems I have been here for hours, there is a floating clock telling me I have only been here for a total of 1 minute and 49 seconds. The stairs collapse one by one as the bass descends chromatically with the chugging guitars and pounded skins. At 2 minutes and 4 seconds - so I am told - there is a swirling light above me. Not too dissimilar to a vortex. It should terrify me, but considering where I am right now, this actually gives me hope. The devil’s interval mocks and repeats, as if to hammer my insignificance. The vortex winks tightly shut as the elegant beast hoots and cackles. Probably not a good thing… The satanic figure turns his back with an exaggerated flourish of his cloak, like an over-confident doctor after a successful operation. He concentrates on the mother of all solos. Despite my wide-eyed terror, I can’t help but admire his dexterity and style. I am suddenly booted further down these flame-ridden steps. I fly and float, eventually tumbling head first into the side of a chest of drawers. Daylight is seeping from the curtain’s edge, as the organ’s circumference widens and fades to nothing. I am alone in a place I know well. I am at home. I am also drooling slightly and a little sweaty. Could this surely not have been a dream…? My twin brings me a cup of tea. I feel exhausted, but okay.
The Blindfold Experience is suitably named because its members are from all around the world, having never met in person. Michael Lind is at the helm, being the writer and producer of this spectacular music. He endeavours to find the best musicians, singers and mixing engineers, in order for everything to come together. This is, after all, the way the top labels do things. The best of everything and everyone, will undoubtedly make the greatest sum total. Although Mike has continually made fabulous music, I have never reviewed him before. I believe I was waiting for THIS. Mother Of Ghosts is the epitome of everything he has been meaning, for the last couple of years. The writing, production and playing is simply flawless. But it would not quite have this impeccable sheen and shine if it were not for our legendary mixing engineer, Andres Guazzelli. What Andres was handed was already great. It was already supoyb. But it was lacking somewhat in definition, class and depth. He has managed to bring out the grit and attack in the drums, make the guitars grab you by the throat, and somehow lend the heaviest depth to the bass. Mike is thrilled with how it turned out, and has said that “this is the first time the record has sounded like it was in my head”. I haven’t been to your head, Mike, but I can wholly agree that this simply could not have been made better. It is flawless. Damned heavy, and flawless. The Blindfold Experience has also achieved the number one spot on the New Artist Spotlight Top 20 within a week of its release - I am not surprised.
I feel better and more myself now. Tea is a wondrous healer. Wait! I don’t have a twin…
Listen to 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙛 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Spotify playlist HERE!
Listen to 𝙈𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙊𝙛 𝙂𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙩𝙨 on the 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗼𝗹𝗹𝘆’𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 Apple Music playlist HERE!
Follow 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙙𝙛𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙀𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 on Instagram HERE!
Please share this post and let me know your thoughts in the comments below, or on Facebook HERE!
I‘n nearly a week late to the game on this one, but really happy I had the time to double back and check it out.
What a perfect compliment to the music! It‘s like reading about a music video that doesn’t exist. Maybe Mike can hook up with with WPP Jimmy and combine the forces of the NAS Megapowers for the final icing on the cake of this powerful piece of art!!!
Totally love this review! And I'm very honored to have been chosen this week. As I read it I can hear the music playing and it works very well with the story. Yes, I say story. And yes, I know the song by heart and can play it in my head. Together we have created something disturbing Charles, like a short story by my favorite author of scary stories, Joe Hill. Great concept for a music video right here.
Strikingly brilliant review for a fantastic song! Well done CC and TBE - Killer!