Blessed are the Hearts that Bend - Is My Destroyer (2020)

Under his moniker ‘Blessed are the Hearts that Bendʼ, filmmaker and artist Luke Seomore channels his narrative abilities and experiences into musical output. ‘Is My Destroyerʼ, his latest album, is an ode to film, legacies and trauma.

On the album, Luke showcases meticulously sculpted compositions that range from solemn ambient soundscapes to orchestral symphonies, often featuring spoken word or field recordings, while being permeated by a rich sense of cinematic atmosphere. ʼIs My Destroyerʼ unfolds like a story arc, always filled with a sense of time and direction as ideas morph, grow, disperse and rekindle; with key pieces like ‘Palaceʼ these ideas seem unbound, bursting out of their seams with emotional grandeur, elegance and passion, while other works such as ‘Orioʼ or ‘The Towerʼ offer sincere moments of reprieve.

In the end, ‘Is My Destroyerʼ feels like a film without pictures, enticing listeners to fill the void with their own imaginings as they experience this moving body of work, leaving one with both a shared sense of connectivity and a singular experience, which ties in to the core theme of the work, one where Luke questions how experiences, legends, ideas and trauma get passed on through generations.