Cassettes to be released byvoicesoftheainur.bandcamp.com

Inspired by the book “Flora of Middle-Earth”

by Walter S. Judd & Graham A. Judd.

According to Treebeard, Saruman was greedy for power, had a “mind of metal and wheels”, and did “not care for growing things, except as far as they can serve him for the moment”. As noted by many, Saruman is linked to our all too frequent use of destructive technology - a destruction witnessed by a young Tolkien as the pastoral British landscapes of his childhood became increasingly industrialized.

It is Saruman’s opinion that growing things do not possess inherent value - they are merely things that can and should be used to gain wealth and power. Thus, as told by Quickbeam, the beautiful groves of rowan trees, whose red fruits were a beauty and wonder, had been cut by Saruman’s orcs in order to feed the fires of Isengard. He then called them by their long names, but they did not quiver, they did not hear or answer - they were dead. Saruman viewed trees as things (mere commodities) to be used, whereas Quickbeam considered them beautiful friends with cool and soft voices.

released April 5, 2023

Guillaume P. Trépanier: Synth, vocal (II) & percussion

Pierre Brouillette Hamelin: Glockenspiel (VIII), percussion (III), synth (IV, VI, VII), vocal (IV, VIII, IX, XI)

Deep Gnome : Synth (XII)

deepgnome.bandcamp.com

Plants illustrations, layout and music by Guillaume P. Trépanier, except “Fireweed” (music by Old Toby and Guillaume P. Trépanier)

Cover illustration by Ellis Green (Sunken Grove)

Mixed by Vincent Lepage

Mastered by Pierre Brouillette Hamelin

Thanks to Paul Smith (Voices of the Ainur), Louis-Philippe Cantin, Pierre Brouillette Hamelin, Vincent Lepage, Ellis Green (Sunken Grove), Old Toby, Erang, Angel, Frostgard, Willow Tea, Joanie Langevin, Patrick Paquin, Frédérik Roy, Yannick Valiquette, Étienne Lemay, Raphaël Fortin, Loomie Adams, Nicolas Poirier, Pierre-Luc Gilbert, Alexandre Frenette, Adriana Lombardi, Dominic Ouellette, Steven Ouellet and Samuel Milette