Artist: Maarten Rischen: Piano, guitar, synths, drums and arrangement; and Thomas van den Berg: Additional drums
Single: ‘Serenity?;’ Release Date: June 23, 2023; Label: The And Scene; Producer: Rischen
Being lost in the limbo between feeling isolated from, and the need to share their songs with, their fans during the COVID lockdown and pandemic is a powerful feeling that many musicians have contended with over the past several years. Experimental rock instrumentalist and composer Maarten Rischen fearlessly explores the journey of pursuing a sense of calmness and tranquility during such a turbulent period on his new ambient-alternative-progressive rock single ‘Serenity?’ and its accompanying music video.
Rischen, who creates his extraordinary songs from The Netherlands, takes a headstrong deep dive into the unknown on his latest chaotic and deeply affecting track. While trying to find stability in his connections with his listeners during a time when they were kept apart, he learned to embrace the idea by not having a set plan to do so. His only idea, which is unique and unrivaled, was to incorporate whatever genre appealed to him every day, whether it was avant-garde, rock, alternative, emo, ambient, alternative or experimental sounds, into the tunes he created for his fans.
The artist emphasized the importance of allowing his varying emotions and thoughts that he experienced on a daily basis to guide the creation of ‘Serenity?’ and its accompany sprawling eight-minute video opus. Filmed in Koh Phangan, Thailand with the accompaniment of the fascinating movements of dancer Alina Spittan, the video is an epic visual accompaniment that visually represents the need for people to connect with themselves and each other.
Rischen believes in musicians playing their instruments live while shooting a music video, so that the production captures the creativity of a live performance. So throughout the single’s video, he’s smartly showcased genuinely playing his Rhodes piano against the sound of the natural sounds of the environment. His dedication to his instrumental craft helps draw the focus to Spittan’s movements throughout the video, during which the two are performing together on the rocks and sand of a beach in Koh Phangan.
‘Serenity?’ starts out as a meandering wistful ambient piano piece, which is not only highlighted by Spittan’s dancing and Rischen’s piano playing, but also stunning black-and-white, impromptu cinematography from In Between Raw Frames. The initially soulful movements and instrumentation slowly build up to a dramatic depiction of what it means for the two artists to contend with every human emotion they’re personally capable of experiencing.
The video is even more visually and emotionally stunning because none of the instrumental parts were written in advance, and were completely improvised during the shoot as soon as the camera started recording. The same was true for the dancing from Spittan, who knew nothing about the song before they made the video, which was shot in one-take, and had no idea of the dramatic, chaotic musical shifts that occurred throughout the production.
Despite not knowing anything about Rischen’s intentions for ‘Serenity’s music, Spittan was still effortlessly able to naturally connect with his instrumentation in a pure form of expression in the moment. The dancer’s instant interpretation of the instrumentation, as well as her interaction with the musician throughout the video, make the track’s theme of needing to find connections with others engaging and relatable.
Taking inspiration from such fellow experimental alternative rock musicians as Muse, Radiohead, Pink Floyd, Smashing Pumpkins and The Flaming Lips, Rischen also thrives in sharing his emotions through the visual imagery featured in his videos. ‘Serenity?’s storytelling is not only told through Spittan’s dancing, but also the special effects created by Patricio Sanz. Approximately halfway through the video, Sanz added dazzling colors to the beach, ocean and sky, as well as spectacular twirling SFX images of birds and fire around the dancer, which emphasize that she’s starting to see life in a new light.
The change in visuals is accompanied by evocative, rippling patterns, including shimmering notes on the piano, guitar and drums. Rischen proves his versatility as a musician as the tune takes on a prog-rock vibe that’s driven by an alluring rhythm topped by the piano and a potent guitar. Then the melody descends into a low, pulsing rhythm.
‘Serenity?’ proves Rischen’s versatility as an emotionally-driven musician who wishes to naturally connect with the people around him, especially after contending with periods of isolation. The single is a standout masterpiece from the artist, as its instrumentals beautifully ascend from sublime and gentle moments to a loud and rocking joyous celebration. The song’s video also provides an exquisite audio-visual experience that offers an elegant, explosive exhalation that demonstrates Rischen’s innovative skill as a musician.
For more information on Rischen, visit his official website, as well as his Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Bandcamp and YouTube pages.
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