Secret of Elements - Monumentum (2017) Hi-Res

Self-trained instrumentalist and activist from northern Germany, young producer Johann Pätzold, also known as Secret Of Elements on a previous #Explorer compilation, makes an alluring debut for InFiné with a mini-album tainted with sweet and enlightened melancholia. Monumentum is an equivocal release, the five tracks inhabited with the same generous impetus and emotional outpouring as his previous track ‘The Effect of Butterfly Destiny’, but this time with darkness at its core. With these new cutting and astute perspectives in mind, we decided to open the first musical chapter together.

His commitment as an activist towards the refugees and the crisis faced by Europe over the past few years, both in his hometown Rostock and throughout his travels along the Mediterranean coasts, has definitely been a great influence on his work, as well as his artistic practice and personal beliefs. Monumentum could be held as a materialisation of this commitment. It emphasises the discernment rather than the certainties, and teaches us to appreciate navigating through choppy water, halfway between apocalyptic ascension and surrealist levitation.