One of our favorite labels has returned from a brief hiatus just in time for the changing of the seasons! As a refresher, on every Solstice Day, the aptly-titled Ceremony of Seasons pairs a new wine with a new album as part of their ongoing partnership with VISUALS Wine and the Ritual of Senses Wine Club. The artists all hail from Asheville, North Carolina’s rich music scene, and for the first time, on this latest series release, the artist was in on the ground level. This means that Emerge from Hallowed Land, an aperitif that features the unusual combination of chamomile, lavender and skullcap, reflects the palette of xor. The connection between wine and music has never been so close. As an added bonus, this season’s release is available on cassette and can be ordered in a true box set from Burial Beer (pictured below) in both regular and Art Museum editions along with the wine. The bottle itself looks great next to last fall’s aperitif Reveal the Paradox, which was paired with Dark Sines’ The Space Time Paradox.
And now it is time to uncork the wine. Contradicting the initial prediction (based on the description), the wine smells beautifully sweet, tempting to the nose, with undercurrents of raspberry and plum. All three of the stated additions have health connections, while two (chamomile and lavender) are widely known as ingredients in tea; one might add that Starbucks recently introduced its own line of lavender lattes, but sadly we cannot recommend them. The wine sits in the glass, the fragrance seeping into the air. The scent itself would make a wonderful candle. A quick Google search reveals that Asheville has three candle shoppes, one that uses coconut wax and two that specialize in soy; it’s not hard to imagine this dream becoming a reality.
And now we press Play.
May the Forest Outlive Us sounds immediately like early summer, the arpeggios of “Raindrops Falling on a Pond” redolent of the title. Those of us who prefer summer to all other seasons have been waiting nine months for the solstice to arrive. The daisies on the cover are a lovely touch, and one can imagine dancing in the field of green, yellow and white as bees scuttle harmlessly about. But will Emerge from Hallowed Land taste like summer? It is time for that first sip.
The aperitif bursts with the fullness of summer berries, saying a fond adieu to the strawberries, who have already passed their peak, to welcome the blueberries, blackberries and boysenberries. This is a wine to savor: only a small glass at a time. Might one pour a tablespoon over vanilla ice cream? Has a wine ever been so eager to mate with candles and desserts?
“Lazy Heat” is playing on the stereo, and this is the first day of the region’s first (minor) heat wave: an early rise in temperature that is nonetheless bearable, even pleasant, the air conditioner on low. The opening tracks are languid, calm, nary a care to be heard. Summer is here; the wine, slightly chilled, rests joyfully on the tongue; the notes waft around the room like seeds upon the wind.
The artist is inspired by the 72 microseasons of Japan, each lasting around five days: an evocative concept that may be adapted according to one’s own region. The most recent microseason: “Rotten grass becomes fireflies.” Fireflies dance around my own yard at dusk, glowing green in the fading light. The current microseason in Japan: “Plums turn yellow.” In my own town: “The ocean turns from cold to cool,” “The farm stands open their doors.”
“Leftover Glow,” which begins Side B, settles like the sediment of a pond, heavier notes forming a drone while lighter notes float to the surface. The artist’s subject matter has changed, but without the liner notes, one might be lost in the reverie. xor writes of ecological collapse, alongside a hope that humans might survive, a possible nod to “In the Year 2525.” “Drift” ups the ante with a touch more abrasion, like the shimmer of midsummer heat, the wiped brow, the desire for respite. One can feel the pressure, as xor’s beloved Weelaunee forest fights for sustainability in the face of corporate shortsightedness and greed.
The wine tells its own tale, the sipping experience smooth and consistent. One can intuit the healing effects, although they cannot possibly be kicking in this quickly. Nature will find a way, even if it has to outlast humanity. “Drift”s tempo increases as the timbre turns from ambient to electronic, an invitation to escape the confines of one’s home and to head to the beach, the forest, the mountains, the wild places where life explodes with color and sound and taste: and to protect them with all one’s might. The density increases like leaves on a tree or a grass-roots movement that becomes a revolution. The plucked notes of “Never Over” recall “Where the Streets Have No Name,” the drumbeat like the heat of July, the peak of harvest, the call to action.
The overall experience ~ bottle, photo, music and wine ~ produces great excitement for the new season. Every possibility seems open,, a great wave of healing, encouragement and positivity to welcome the solstice. May the forest outlive us, the artist prays. In like fashion, may feelings of generosity grow like summer grass, and not be scorched by the sun. When summer inevitably ends, may its seeds produce the bloom of the next season’s harvest. (Richard Allen)
a closer listen 