Jacob Anderskov - Spirit of the Hive (2021) Hi Res

Listening to Spirit of the Hive is to perceive the world from the perspective of bats, bees, birds and bugs. How does it feel to be inside the swarm, the hive, the flock? How does the hive perceive the threats from the outside world – especially those coming from humans? Meanwhile, the album meditates on how the larger patterns emerging from animal behaviour are a constant source of awe and wonder, when perceived through the human sensory system. But first of all, the album deals with the close interdependence between these animals and our way of life.

“100 years after Antoni Gaudi, the magically captivating properties of emergent forms from animals continue to offer radical experiences, not the least when perceived as art. I found it highly interesting how an ensemble of improvisers would operate within this frame, not the least because emergent patterns from multiple improvisers has a lot to show us, in terms of how our relatedness to nature is operating, even to this day.

While depicting a swarming collective, the music is also a parable on humanity’s close entanglement with the swarming animals. We know we are threatening these species, but do we grasp how much the situation can strike back at ourselves? For instance: as fascinating or frightening as bees are, they are first and foremost threatened by our way of life. This can lead to a disaster way beyond the life of bees, since they are crucial to the pollination of plants. Weeks after the live premiere of the music on this album, the world shut down because bats had been forced out of their dwellings in nature. They brought a tiny viral signature into our cities - upon which it spread across the global community. The bats reiterated their importance, and we need to think about their way of life, even beyond their appearances as entertaining symbols of fright in the movies”.