Laurels of the End of History by Cime
Occasionally, we receive some pushback when we bring up politics or social issues in our album reviews. However, art is never created in an apolitical vacuum, and it is not consumed in an apolitical vacuum. Our individual perspectives formed by our subscribed ideologies do shape how we interpret and engage with the world around us–including, of course, the music that we listen to, or the music that we make. Especially for a work as intensely personal as Laurels of the End of History by Cime, to ignore the impact of politics and culture inherent to this release would be a glaring omission.
Described by the artist as “a scathing indictment of neoliberalism”, this avant folk record longs for the birth of a new latinefuturistic utopia. But birth is not always easy. And on Laurels of the End of History, there will be no bloodless revolution. On the track “City Upon A Hill”, Cime mourns the dead who were lured north by the false American Dream of better job opportunities, only to discover that this country is kept running by the backbreaking labor and blood of Central Americans. In the face of this brutal reality, could anyone wring their hands over respectability politics and “nonviolence”?
But this record is not only a call towards direct action and a lament for those who have been crushed beneath the machine of industrial capitalism. The dream for this new society is not founded on retribution and righteous indignation alone. Love, hope, and joy overflow in tandem. A deeply held respect for the community, for the land, and for God is woven through Laurels of the End of History, adding another layer of cultural significance by invoking motifs of both indigenous Honduran religion and folk Catholicism. Infused with ecstatic spirituality and rich, meaningful references to histories erased by colonialism, this record transcends the standard offerings within the realm of politically-conscious music.
These themes are backed by a soundscape of lo-fi noise punk, traditional Central American music, and freak folk, featuring over a dozen musicians with multi-instrumentalist Monty Cime at the helm. Monty herself utilizes a unique variety of music-making tools, including (but not limited to!) the accordion, baritone ukulele, garifuna drum, wooden frog, conch shell, theatre organ, fretless bass, bongos, marimba, maracas, and many more. This record also features quena and quenacho, traditional South American flutes often used by other nueva canción musicians. These analog instruments are layered between explosions of glitchy noise, jazzy interludes, and wailing vocals, for a cacophony of sound that makes Laurels of the End of History an impressive undertaking in terms of composition, arrangement, recording, mixing, amd mastering–all of which are credited to Monty Cime, of course.
With an expansive, explosive sound that defies simple categorization into one genre, Laurels of the End of History must be heard to be truly understood. A true piece of outsider art, this controversial record won’t be for everyone. But it isn’t meant to be palettable. Brazenly political, fanatically spiritual, and unapologetically hopeful, this record urges listeners to dream of a better future after the end of history.
- Kalen
