Anoesis - Dancing Waters (2022) [Hi-Res]

'Dancing Waters' is an album of original compositions by Anoesis.

The title track was composed by bassist Tomas McKeever Ford after a visit to Purling Brook Falls in Springbrook National Park in 2019. The site is called 'Gwongorella' in the local Yugambeh language, which translates to 'Dancing Waters' in English. Tomas was immediately struck by the beauty of the waterfall and surrounding area, by how ancient the place looked and felt; and was overcome by a manifestation of the sensation of time that has come before, an experience which Tomas believes can often happen when we are truly immersed in natural surroundings and start to think about where and why we are.

Alistair Johnston's composition 'Regenerate' was written in response to witnessing the effects of the 2019-2020 bush-fires that devastated Australia's eastern coastline. Alistair's family home is in Stanwell Park, and the fires burned very close but thankfully did not reach them. However, they were very conscious of the threat at the time as many others were. In February Alistair took a trip further down the south coast with some friends. Driving down the Princes Highway, the trees that once hedged road with green foliage were completely scorched and stripped bare by the flames. However, some of the trees were already sprouting a furry green regrowth. This image of the black charred trees and the green regrowth inspired the title Regenerate.

With these two compositions as a starting point, 'Dancing Waters' recognises that although we are surrounded by such vast natural beauty in so-called Australia, natural ecosystems in this country are under severe threat, perpetuated through the dark history of colonial genocide against First Nations peoples that continues to be overlooked and unaddressed.

Greg Stopic (alto saxophone)
Alistair Johnston (tenor saxophone)
Eitan Muir (guitar)
Tomas McKeever Ford (double bass)
Ryu Kodama (drums)