As beautiful and creative as classical music is it is often an afterthought of the music community. People take classical training and then veer in totally separate directions creating music that lacks the sustainable beauty that the classical genre has given them. Our friend Toni Castells, whose music we covered some years ago HERE, is back with a new project that will turn a lot of heads back to the sometimes forgotten genre.
Music grabbed the composer at an early age. Growing up in Berga in the Spanish Pyrenees, Toni Castells was studying classical guitar and piano by his 4th birthday. Every waking moment was devoted to learning and creating music. A move to London, where he currently resides, expanded his musical possibilities even further.
The result of these skills paired with the constant thirst to create something original has resulted in the unique Toni Castells sound we hear today. This uniqueness makes it difficult to describe but the neo-classical base mixed with modern atmospheric sounds and operatic vocals is something that takes us on an imaginative ride.
The latest work by Toni Castells, 2045 was released earlier this month for all to experience. The 17 track epic album is a complete journey explores a concept called Technological Singularity, where the techno-scientific community have predicted to be possible by 2045 in which technology will finally allow for man and machine to merge, enabling us the possibility to prolong life indefinitely, making us immortal effectively. Deep, dark, and disturbing.
Prepare Yourself For The Toni Castells Mind
From the opening “Overture” the tone is set with haunting vocal sounds melding with brooding classical instruments and electronic noise. The atmospheric soundscape of “Slaves Of Time” is brought to a higher level with soaring opera vocals and then an almost hip-hop sounding beat that keeps the listener guessing what we will hear next. The energy builds on “Pour 4 Personnes” with a faster pace, spoken word samples, and a harmonizing chorus that attacks the senses.
A more electronic tone is sparked on “Annie + Irantzu” with more spoken word samples blended with short piano melodies and more atmospheric sounds filling the sonic landscape. Opera takes the lead on the inspiring “The Mission”. Such beauty is shared with a minimal effort of letting every sound have its own room to breathe.
By the time we reach the finale “Passing On The Torch” our minds are pretty much spent with thought and the interesting journey. Toni Castells doesn’t let us off easy though as an intriguing spoken word piece is shared within alongside a blend of vocal hymns and piano trills. Lots to take in on the 6-minute track. This is a ride that needs to be taken from start to finish. Clear some time on your schedule and dive in on SPOTIFY or his WEBSITE.
