"Tabula Rasa" by ALCATUNE
“Tabula Rasa” is the second single from ALCATUNE’s forthcoming album The Dust, Over the Years. From the Latin for clean or blank slate, the idea of tabula rasa implies a beginning, state of emptiness or unhampered potential.
“It’s like a child state,” explained David Lopes, founder of the band. “You know, when you’re not overloaded with life.”
A drone opens “Tabula Rasa” and fans of The xx will hear an xx-esque sustained pluck slowly creep in. Drums and a gently whirring synth enter and build to a burst of guitar before the synth gently and quickly returns the listener to calm.
This and the other songs of ALCATUNE’s The Dust, Over the Years are influenced by David’s personal experiences over the last several years, but also our social experiences of isolation. While some instrumental bands are adept at holding the listener in a particular emotion, ALCATUNE tends to carry the listener through a story and to a resolution.
“The album is a kind of love letter to science fiction,” said David. “I was in search of new instruments and synthesizers, wanting to expand my compositions - this song was built from an improvisation in exploring a new synthesizer.”
Why a love letter to science fiction?
“It was not something that was thought out,” said David. “It was something that started to build along with the songs. I had a lot of songs that were synth-based with this dystopian and sci-fi feel. I love science fiction novels and movies and the album has this kind of vibe. The mood could be summarized as ‘melancholia’, but there is also a bit of beauty and tension in that.”
The Dust, Over the Years will be released independently on 1 November 2023. You can find ALCATUNE on Bandcamp.