Damon Albarn 睽違七年再推出了個人第二張錄音室專輯《The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows》。這次 Damon 不僅新簽了唱片公司 Transgressive Records，更要將自己在七年內探索內心的過程與最終的結果呈現給所有人。
「製作這張專輯時我經歷了人生的黑暗旅程，不過它也讓我相信純粹的源頭仍然存在著。」-Damon Albarn
《The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows》在後疫情時代推出，不只從第一首到最後一首擁有完整的流暢度，更將情緒從細微末節放大至宏觀的角度。這個感覺就像是你佇立在絕美風景前的模樣。
專輯中的單曲 Royal Morning Blue 是這張專輯中有著較強勁節奏的歌曲之一。Damon Albarn 在冰島創作這首歌時不僅將自己的感官無限放大，更相信所有事情都會在黑暗中轉換為美好的事物。Damon Albarn 表示：「在那個當下，所有的感官都因我們曾體會過的黑暗而轉向正向且美好的事物。這也是為什麼這首歌開頭直接唱出『雨水轉化成雪』的原因。」
隨著這首歌結束，緊接著是毫無人聲的 Combustion、形容跋涉道別的 Daft Wader，和 Darkness To Light；情緒的轉折隨著音樂節奏和歌詞又從澎湃轉為平靜。聽這張專輯得讓自己好好地品味，如同將自己的人生重新審視，再帶向期待的明亮未來。
《The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows》是受到冰島風景啟發的而生的管弦樂作品。去年，Albarn 在疫情中回歸音樂，並將作品發展為 11 首曲目，進一步探索脆弱、失落、湧現和重生的主題。結果是 Albarn 作為講故事的人的全景歌曲集。專輯名稱取自約翰克萊爾的一首詩Love and Memory。
After seven years, Damon Albarn finally released his second studio album The Near the Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows. This album isn't just Damon's first record with his new label Transgressive but also wanted to present the process and final results of his inner exploration in seven years to everyone.
"I have been on my own dark journey while making this record and it led me to believe that a pure source might still exist." - Damon Albarn
The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows release in the post-pandemic era. From the first song until the end, it provides the calm and peace we need through the smooth transition of melody song by song. The feeling is like you are standing in front of the beautiful scenery and breath in the freezing air.
The single Royal Morning Blue is one of the songs with a stronger rhythm in this album. When Damon Albarn composed this song in Iceland, he magnified his senses infinitely and believed that everything would be transformed into beautiful things in the dark. "That's why the song opens with 'Rain turning into snow,' because it's that moment, that feeling. In all the darkness that we have experienced, that was such a beautiful, positive thing." Damon Albarn said.
Alongside the end of this song, there is BGM single Combustion, Daft Wader, and Darkness To Light. The emotional transition changes from surging to calm with the rhythm of the music and lyrics. Listening to this album has to let yourself stay in your own corner, like re-examining your own life and leading to the bright future you look forward to.
The Nearer The Fountain, More Pure The Stream Flows is the new studio album from Damon Albarn, out 12th November 2021 on Transgressive Records. Originally intended as an orchestral piece inspired by the landscapes of Iceland, 2020 saw Albarn return to the music in lockdown and develop the work to 11 tracks which further explore themes of fragility, loss, emergence and rebirth. The result is a panoramic collection of songs with Albarn as storyteller. The album title is taken from a John Clare poem Love and Memory.
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