‘Why You Can Never Do Away With The Roots and Source’: Pangaea Album Review

Perspiration creates many things we see around, but soul-stirring music is always the product of inspiration. Each note of a divinizing melody embodies massive energy to build ethereal castles where the listener dwells for a retreat. What happens during the process is a kind of escape that is refreshing and recharging. So, to revive and renew the fatigued spirit, music lovers always look forward to inspired music that has the power to enchant the soul. Pangaea is one such uniquely inspired album embodying a theme highly apt for the post-Covid-19 world looking forward to reviving the broken life. Championed by two popular stalwarts who are not new to producing inspiring melodies, Pangaea is a healer of wrecked hearts pining for respite.

About ‘Pangaea’

‘Pangaea’, the album’s name is adopted from geography and the term refers to the most ancient landmass that existed during the Triassic period which later on broke itself into different continents. What do the artists suggest through the album’s title? Dwelling in the melodies contained in the nine tracks of the album could give me a hint of the theme embodied in the title, which I prefer to get back before concluding this review. The beginning note I would prefer to post here before elaborating on the album is this: In Pangaea, Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone have delivered something remarkable and magical to rebuild the damages wrecked by the pandemic. The album soothes the hearts of the listeners during a crucially important hour when the world needs it the most.

The scheme and organization

Pangaea is a short instrumental album pickled with some vocal sounds. The full album plays for 39 minutes and 16 seconds. There are nine tracks in the album with the shortest member (Sixth Track: First Rain) playing for 3 minutes 17 seconds and the longest piece (Fourth Track: dance of Joy) treating you for 5 minutes and 8 seconds.

What dwelling on the tracks feels like?

The majority of the tracks are named after the processes happening in nature. All of these tracks are authored by Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone. While there is a common mood permeating through the melodies as an undercurrent, every piece has strived to hold something unique about itself, in building on the theme of its independent title.

Track 1: Desert Moon

The opening opus is an expert deployment and weaving of rhythms and tunes. The tempo builds up as the track progresses, but the tenderness remains throughout. As the moonshine cools down the earth scorched by the flaming sun, tunes composed by a caring heart soothe the tired soul.

Track 2: A New World

The next member in the evolution is ‘A New World’. Faithful to the track’s title, the artists have composed the melody to suggest the ideas of blossoming, unfolding, and becoming. As the track moves on, you feel a sense of growing up to conclude with a sense of completeness.

Track 3: Ungana

In ‘Ungana‘, there is a clear domination of the vocal element harmoniously merging with the beats and rhythms. Could this be suggestive of the earth getting populated with humans as it evolved further? Listening to the track feels so.

Track 4: Dance of Joy

‘Dance of Joy’is a clear mesmerizer. I would prefer to call this track the crown jewel of Pangaea. The entire piece drives the moods of jubilance, celebration, and excitement, however in a gentle fashion. The whole track feels joyful.

Tracks 5 to 7 (The Sun’s Reflection, First Rain and Sunrise)

After a brief escape into a joyful celebration of the creations, there is a going back in the next three tracks to a somber mood contemplating on nature’s processes like the sun’s reflection, first rain, and sunrise. All these three tracks typically share the moods of these natural processes they dwell on.

Track 8: Taranaki Rises

‘Taranaki‘ is one of New Zealand’s provincial districts known for its dense forests covering three-fourths of its expanse. The top natural highlight of the region is the principal geographical feature known as the stratovolcano of Mount Taranaki. The unbeatable natural beauty of this place says there is something virgin about this landscape that it has retained over millions of years. Named as ‘Taranaki Rises’, this piece of instrumental melody is suggestive of the fusion of evolution and inheritance.

Track 9: Across Land and Sea

The final track is a kind of touring the created lands, vegetation, flora, and fauna. Some kind of wilderness is evident in the joyful journey. The adeptness of the artists in managing the composition skillfully to drive the theme is evident in the piece that will fit in the album as a kind of grand finale leaving you with a sense of fulfillment.

Deciphering the intention behind the album title

Now getting into the rationale behind the title, Pangaea is the oldest landmass that existed several millions of years ago and you and I inherit the matter it pumped into the continents that drifted away from their parent. Evolution causes changes and developments. Nevertheless, what can unfold during the process is only the aberrations and different avatars of the original. While you can paint anything using your creativity, you need the canvass to stay in place. If the canvass is lost, your dream of painting anything will be lost. ‘Never forget the roots and always be tuned to the source’: Could this be the message the music giants want to drive through the album’s name ‘Pangaea’? You must first listen to the album personally before deciding to agree with me.

Final Words

Instrumental melodies belong to a different kind of music genre that invests in the power of rhythms and tunes produced by objects to convey human sentiments. Therefore, there is a kind of coding and un-coding in the process of revealing what is buried in the depths of the composer’s heart. If this process must succeed, you need a seasoned expert to compose them. Wouter Kellerman and David Arkenstone are a great pair to do this dexterously. Be prepared for an unconventional kind of treat while listening to the album. Remember, you need a private time free from any sort of disturbances so that you can get fully immersed in this rejuvenating music.

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