Album a Day: The Trinity Project - The Subtle Movements of The Entropy Engine

I am one hundred percent in favor of side-projects because its very easy to say, "Well, this is the main thing I want to be known for and here are my other interests so I should explore those as well." As an experimental filmmaker I often branch out into writing (short story, poetry, and these meditations on other artists' works), DJing, and someday I'll probably get back into narrative film where I started (just as a side thing), so I totally get the idea of side-projects. Unfortunately we don't see this often enough in music and so either bands can become parodies of themselves and the music is just the same thing over and over or the band alienates their fans by doing things that are perhaps far too out of the realm of that particular project. Ego Likeness' real-life married couple Steve Archer and Donna Lynch completely understand this as both are not only musicians but they also paint, draw, write and who knows what else goes on in their creative world. So one of the results is Steve and Donna's 2002 release The Subtle Movements of The Entropy Engine under the name The Trinity Project. The album shows off Archer and Lynch's more experimental side that pushes the musical imagination. The album starts off with the complex 20 minute title track. Archer mentions in the liner notes that he had the name for the song/album about two years before doing anything with it and then recording the whole thing in about two weeks with intentions to later make the work into a film (eight years later we haven't seen the film pop up, but lets not blame the band as Ego Likeness' popularity has only gone up. But if you see them then ask when we're getting that). The title track has great movement to it and could certainly be put in the same class with a Godspeed You! Black Emperor. All the songs are good on here and you can tell what other kind of artistic modes that Archer and Lynch work in because many of the songs have a very non-linear quality to them. This non-linear mode is very interesting in relationship to the title which would see to refer to a slowing of the passage of time and observing those small gestures that can be made. My personal favorite tracks on the album are those with Donna Lynch's spoken word. I love Lynch's poetry (if you haven't read it then you are really missing out and should rectify this immediately) and so having the ability to hear it spoken aloud with noise and music only amplifies the experience. I hope some day that Lynch releases an album of just spoken word tracks with or without musical accompaniment. There are three of the spoken word tracks and my favorite of those is "50 Degrees Longitude 85 Degrees Latitude" (the other two are "If I'm Not Careful I'll Start To Get Scared of The Walls" and "Tornado") in which she recounts as a child developing a skin disorder that began to resemble a map. Lynch is very honest in her poetry (which at least on this album is always real stories) and so there's a very playful quality in things that are otherwise emotionally painful. Let's not forget that Steve Archer also is able to show off his numerous skills throughout the album not only musically but the album booklet also include some examples of his photography and artwork that are just so dense. And if that wasn't enough the booklet also includes little artist statements by both Lynch and Archer about several of the individual tracks giving you insight about the work each contributed and their thought process going in (yet another reason I personally prefer physical over digital). This album is up and down beautiful and I hope that someday we see another release from The Trinity Project. Favorite Tracks: The Subtle Movements of The Entropy Engine, 50 Degrees Longitude 85 Degrees Latitude, Love Gesture, If I'm Not Careful I'll Start To Get Scared of The Walls, The Flock of 1000 Sparrows, Votive, and Tornado