In Poor_in_Spirit, air becomes the life force connecting Builder to his creation, the (Re)constructed Pipe Organ: a mesmerising tangle of extensive tubing and pipes rescued from church organs across Northern Denmark.

Across the album’s nine tracks, the non-conforming body of this organ gradually enters into dialogue with its creator. Inexorable crescendos, unexpected vibrations and a fragile yet steady flow of sound are brought to life by the skilful movements of the artist, who operates the instrument like a real “sound prosthesis.” Builder directs all the parts until they become one speaking body.

The triptych Poor_in_Spirit, which opens the album and gives it its title, slowly intensifies its pulsations like a growing embryo, gradually layering vigour and complexity. Alternating between suspensions and swarming timbral and percussive interweavings, this mini-suite unfolds as we become aware of the potential of this machine and its voice.

In tracks such as Sometimes I Wonder, the focus shifts to the surrounding space. Reflections and harmonic changes speak of a tactile perception of the other; reassurance comes from physical contact. The air becomes solid, almost tangibly palpable, and a dialogue begins through dense chords and final pulsations. But it is in Pacific that the delicate and relentless force of a drone made up of a hundred volatile voices draws us into a comprehensive dialogue with the “monster.”

With an eye towards its secular meaning, Poor_in_Spirit for Builder is about a raw and unpolished kind of searching that drives his musical explorations: a state of non-resistance, non-retention and openness to the unexpected.

Ballhaus Ost | LABOR SONOR | Photo: Orange ‘Ear