Life, Death and the Perpetual Wound, the second album by ambient project Ministry of Interior Spaces, trades the bleak Michigan-winter landscapes of its first record for something more sublime and unknowable: The American West. An ambitious concept album about personal healing in a vast eternal landscape, each track is named after a liminal location spanning mountains, deserts, and fictitious National Parks.
According to James Li, the Brighton-based musician behind Ministry of Interior Spaces, Platonitudes National Park is “a cross between Glacier and Yellowstone, and a place that is also rapidly melting.” In the album it serves as its dramatic crux. Reminiscent of neo-classical composers such as Olafur Arnalds or Max Richter, the evocative piece revolves around a minimalist piano composition and an emotional yet delicate string arrangement. The result is something that is as sorrowful as it is moving.
The kaleidoscopic music video is comprised of Montanan nature footage stitched together by Grand Rapids filmmaker, Philip Carrel. Moving shots are luma-keyed and layered together to paint the impossible liminal landscapes of Platonitudes National Park. The video also takes inspiration from the influential American filmmaker Paul Clipson (1965-2018), who worked closely with artists such as Grouper or Jefre Cantu-Ledesma.
“The film was created with footage captured on a road trip to Glacier National Park,” says director Philip Carrel. “While traveling across the vast American landscape I was struck by the natural beauty that we still have and I am inspired to share that with others in hopes we will make it a priority to preserve and find harmony with it.”
Live in Limbo also premiered MoIS’ last video for Hoyt Arboretum OR back in March, check it out HERE in case you missed it!
Life, Death and the Perpetual Wound by Ministry of Interior Spaces releases Wednesday May 9. You can preorder it here.
