Cecil Purihin – Nervous (Single Review)

There’s a soft spot in my heart… well, my brain, rather, for artists who push the boundaries of what counts as art. In any medium, in fact. If you’re not pushing the boundaries of what already is bounded by our perception, why even bother to falsely replicate something without putting your unique twist on it?

Many people interpret that statement in many ways when it comes to music. You can have novelty in your branding, and you can also have novelty in your influences. However, the mark of what truly changes things is how you push the boundaries in and with your sound. As I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, I’m kin to the idea that auditory expression is one of the most fundamental and versatile forms of self-expression and exploration. As a result, I think concepts that push the limits of composition and songwriting tend to have the most effect on me and the epistemology of art itself. It encompasses visuals, sound as well as contemplation- notes leave you ample space (no pun intended) for interpretation as well as deciphering what the artist intended to convey.

In today’s review, we will be introduced to a very exemplary artist who truly conveys the art of pushing boundaries while stretching the limits of creativity. This artist is Cecil Purihin. Christopher Marshall, also known as Cecil Purihin as per his artist moniker as well as birth name, is a producer who primarily dabbles in ambient as well as hip-hop music, but often, he branches out and intersects many other genres as well as music into his discography and productions. His previous releases include ‘Beets for the Summer Beets for Forever’, as well as ‘Desert Soundscapes‘, an acclaimed piece from 2022 released under the ambient record label ‘Mystery Circles’. From his previous releases, I get the impression that he is an extremely innovative and thought-provoking artist, almost touching the boundaries of experimental music. This makes me quite excited for this release, which is part of his upcoming album.

‘The Vortex’, the title of his album, gets its name from a book written by John Emmons, a longtime Las Vegas resident who attended open-mic sessions reading his poetry and played as a one-man band. Unfortunately, he is no longer with us, and the title pays homage to his existence, as well as vocal pieces of his infused into two tracks of the album. ‘The Vortex’ is also described as an album that combines multiple genres as well as influences, combining elements of ambient with other genres. Cecil states that he took his time honing in on all the small details to make his songs sound full, interesting as well as unique. This album is recorded entirely in stereo, with numerous samples and basslines. Quite promising!

The song starts off with a noisy interlude, with what is mentioned as thunderstorm samples layered on to create an ambient soundscape. It reminds me of a lot of intentional ‘white noise’ techniques used in music production to create the feel of antiquity but also to give it a timelessness in its feel. It then goes into what is described as a sample of distorted bongos, however, I find the polyphony in the bongo sample very reminiscent of urumi melam ensembles. The timbre of the bongo samples also truly reminds me of the percussion in a lot of Ronnie Galama’s songs. These two elements are not typically heard in many compositions, so the comparisons it bears in my mind also give it a very special niche. The fact that it is also melded into the soundscape really reminds me of a lot of Deep Forest‘s compositions, as they use ambient music as the background soundscape to a typically heavily sampled and ethnic percussive tone.

The melody that truly lingers amid the song gives off the feel of uneasiness, in a stylistic manner. It also reminds me of sorrow as well as mental chaos. It fits the theme of the song. The airy vocals layered in the background also add weight to the concept of mental anxiety and nervousness, just as the title implies, as it represents a corrupted manner of the concept of the ‘inner voice’. Moreover, the choppy nature of the vocal samples also reflects that uneasiness, as it represents a train of thought constantly interrupted and not particularly ‘flowing’.

There is a break in the song, where the drum samples are isolated with a lo-fi nature to it before it descends into a trip-hop sequence with the bongo samples eliminated. It still retains the raw vocal samples as well as the noise. I find this sudden percussive change very interesting, as it changes the tone of the song itself and gives it a completely different character. Instead of diving deeper into the abyss, it is as if the torment was for one to live with- ‘what are you going to do about it?’

It is truly an innovative song that definitely has the elements of two songs mixed into one, while retaining the original compositional intent as well as choosing samples with a niche that one usually wouldn’t be drawn to. I find this song also quite unique as it is very minimalistic yet detailed at the same time, which gives the listener a way to experience juxtaposition without the sounds and the concepts conflicting. All in all, this is a great single and a good teaser for what the rest of the album would be. This track would definitely appeal to people on the edge of the iceberg of music- a combination of ethnic electronica, world music, ambient, trip-hop, as well as sorrow.

Rating/Excellent – ‘Nervous’ is an extremely unique single that would appeal to those who are interested in the edge of music. With techniques that are not usually heard or combined, this single is an interesting window into the rest of Cecil Purihin’s artistry. It is a song that makes you think, feel, and brainstorm all at once. Highly recommended.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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