Eden Bloom’s Twenty Twenty Three is a hauntingly beautiful tapestry of sound and spirit—an album that invites listeners into a space where grief, ritual, and resilience intertwine. Released on Leap Day, February 29, 2024, this collection of nine tracks is more than just music; it’s a ceremonial journey through memory, loss, and the search for meaning in a fractured world.
Rooted in both personal and collective mourning, the album is dedicated to the “23rd Current”—a nod to the late Kali, Coyote, and “nodes on the network no longer ‘here.’” This dedication sets the tone for an exploration of absence and presence, of those lost and those left behind.
The genesis of the album is as evocative as its content. It began with a sunrise ritual in the Babad Do’ag/Catalina Mountains, Arizona, on July 7, 2023, and culminated in a series of impromptu recordings in December 2023 at Bloom’s temple studio in Detroit. Each track was “received” in a single day, capturing raw emotion and unfiltered expression.
The opening track, “T.O.P.Y. Blues,” sets the stage with its introspective lyrics:
“I’ve come back with traces of faces of names left behind.”
This line encapsulates the album’s central theme—navigating the remnants of past connections and the echoes they leave in our present.
“Walk the Waves” serves as both a meditative chant and a call to action, urging listeners to journey through elements—waves, fire, sky, land—as metaphors for personal and collective transformation.
“Blight is Beauty” stands out as a poignant reflection on urban decay and hidden resilience. Bloom writes:
“For some poverty is protection, blight is beauty and weeds are medicine.”
This perspective challenges conventional narratives, suggesting that within neglect and hardship lies a form of beauty and strength.
The album concludes with “2023,” a nearly 15-minute soundscape that feels like a sonic ritual, encapsulating the year’s emotional weight and offering a space for reflection and release.
Twenty Twenty Three is not just an album; it’s an experience—a melding of music, memory, and meaning. For those seeking art that resonates on a deeper level, that acknowledges pain while offering solace, Eden Bloom’s latest work is a profound and necessary listen.
If you’re looking for something deeply felt and uniquely crafted, this is it.
🎧 Listen on Bandcamp:
https://edenbloom.bandcamp.com/album/twenty-twenty-three
🎬 Or watch the full video: