Qualia- C Releases New “Amare Qualis” LP

“There are no beautiful surfaces, without a terrible depth” – Friedrich Nietzsche. To put it bluntly, Qualia- C is an artist who will only be accessible and digestible to an extremely specific audience. Her mere existence is a testament to not only her uncompromising spirit, and unworldly courage, but to the idea of unimpeded freedom of expression. Coming upon Qualia- C’s new album, Amare Qualis, is akin to the residual effects of experiencing a Pier Pasolini film. Her work will stay with you in areas of your psyche that are only accessible through starkly transgressive experiences.

Raised in Germany, Qualia is described as a Performance , Haptic and Visual Artist, as well as a somatic educator. She currently resides in Oakland, CA. The haptic element is most peculiar or more accurately, compromised in the Covid era. Non Verbal, contact based communication is all but viewed as a relative taboo in modern society. Her gig as a somatic educator seems most in harmony with her art, as her primal chants and pleas, explore the biological source of the energy that drives them.

URL: https://www.qualia-c.com/

Avant Garde seems to be the simplest and most convenient label to attach to Qualia- C and this album, and honestly, it’s also the most accurate. She creates within an outer realm, that reflects her surroundings, and internalizes the ensuing chaos. To describe this as Performance Art, would almost be an incomplete thought. Amare Qualis doesn’t come across as so much of a performance at times, but a concentrated demonstration of intellectual purging, resulting in sporadic catharsis. It’s a psychosomatic therapy session with extemporaneous exercises in artistic expression.

On “Demons,” Qualia takes on a Bjork like accent, as she espouses poetically, in a Ginsberg-Esque prose. There is a backdrop of someone repeatedly coughing. Not sure if this is a tie in to current afflictions, but it is highlighted in such a way to assume it has symbolism. Strategic demons/held my heart with iron clads, is a line that goes a long way in summarizing “Demons.” It’s difficult to describe from a second hand perspective, just how strong the sense of foreboding is on this piece, as it will make you instantly uncomfortable.

A tribal drum roll, opens up “Big Hearts,” on which Qualia decrees that Big Hearts/Are for fools. It certainly sounds as if she has lost faith in the idea of love and loving. The Overlying narrative on Amare Qualis, seems driven by heartbreak and rejection in some form. “Your Name” opens with a Pong like soundscape, and a weaving, Jaws style violin.  This is where we get to hear Qualia-C do what would be considered more traditional Singing, once again in a voice comparable to Bjork.

RELATED WEBSITE: http://tanjalondon.com/

Qualia- C claims that she was told, that she couldn’t sing, as an adolescent. Fair to say, that most if not all of her detractors, don’t have an album being reviewed by a critic, at this point. Truth be told, you don’t actually listen to Qualia-C. You don’t simply experience her work, either. It’s an intrusion on dormant or previously undisturbed segments of your psyche, that will never allow you to justify your own self denial, again.

Written by Mark Ryan, posted by Michael Rand