Selfless Orchestra - Great Barrier
by Keith How
published: 25 / 1 / 2021

Label:
Stock Records
Format: LP
intro
Superb ecological concept album from Australian collective the Selfless Orchestra which based on The Great Barrier Reef is an instrumental plea for us all to protect and appreciate the Earth
The Selfless Orchestra are a collective group of musicians from Perth, Australia.'Great Barrier' is a composition to raise awareness to help protect Australia’s Great Barrier Reef from further harm. The musicians involved in this project are all committed to social and environmental justice projects. 'Great Barrier' is a behemoth of post rock power. A massive journey seeking to express the beauty and fragility of the natural world that sweeps majestically across a widescreen soundscape. Orchestral vistas sit along side distorted post rock influenced guitars.Whale song intermingle with haunting flutes and strings.The Perth Symphony Orchestra and members of metal band Karnivool join hands with founder members of Selfless to drive this expansive, experimental and exciting project. 'Great Barrier' really benefits from being heard without interruption to experience the complete magnitude of the work as the music seamlessly flows from track to track . From the raging anger, complete with screaming guitar and vocals, found on 'False Bodies Parts 1 & 2' to the piano-led 'Bleached' there is much to delight lovers of progressive instrumental music. Add in the environmental concerns that provoked the creation of this epic there is much to enjoy and cause the listener to pause for thought. The album’s finale 'Eden is Lost', which is a fragile and beautiful piece that flowers like a new dawn.
Track Listing:-
1 Boundless, Measureless2 Time Is a Flower Pt. I (The Dream Refused to Stay the Same)
3 Time Is a Flower Pt. II (Colourful Notes of Nocturne)
4 The Luxury of Doing Nothing Very Much at All
5 False Bodies Pt. I (Innocence)
6 False Bodies Pt. II (Ignorance)
7 Inharmonicity
8 Bleached
9 A Certain Energy Future
10 Beyond All Illusion Pt. I
bandcamp
most viewed articles
current edition
Deb Googe and Cara Tivey - InterviewJack Frost - As Seen on TV
Carl Ewens - David Bowie 1964 to 1982 On Track: Every Album, Every Song
Liz Mitchell - Interview
Nils Petter Molvaer - El Molino, Barcelona, 24/4/2025
Brian Wilson - Ten Songs That Made Me Love...
John McKay - Interview
Editorial - July 2025
Robert Forster - Interview
Credits - ARC, Liverpool, 17/5.2025
most viewed reviews
current edition
Little Simz - LotusHAIM - I Quit
Suzanne Vega - Flying With Angels
John McKay - Sixes and #Sevens
Davey Woodward - Mumbo in the Jumbo
Vultures - Liz Kershaw Session 16.06.88
Billy Nomates - Metalhorse
Pulp - More
Garbage - Let All That We Imagine Be The Light
Morcheeba - Escape The Chaos
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart