Every Martyr Is A Universe [CD]

Bilal Nasser - Every Martyr Is A Universe [CD]

The Constellation debut from Palestinian-Canadian guitarist, organiser, and harm-reduction worker Bilal Nasser draws upon his training in classical guitar and influences from punk, post-rock, and contemporary composition. Conceived during the student encampment movement protesting the Gaza genocide, Every Martyr Is A Universe emerges from the impossible question of art's worth and meaning under such conditions, primarily recorded at Nasser's DIY space Uma Loft in Windsor, Ontario and enlisting nine musicians from this community to help render the album's stately orchestrations.

The opening title track unfolds as an elegantly restrained suite for strings, horns, and guitar that conveys elegiac solemnity but refuses conspicuous dolefulness. This flows into "Erasure," featuring Nasser's vaporous vocals over a post-classical shoegaze intro. Side Two juxtaposes foreboding drone-based sound design with an archival recording of Ghassan Kanafani, followed by "Who We Used To Be" and "Soul Of My Soul," both featuring Nasser's gorgeously delicate singing and assured songwriting.