VICE:VIRTUE - 2016

As the previous album "28" came to a close, an idea was already forming regarding the next album. The principal idea was Saturday night/ Sunday morning, with the first half of the album would be dance/techno styles and the latter half would be more chillout/ambient.
​After much deliberation, the thought process switched this premiss to the 7 deadly sins (revised in AD 590 by Pope Gregory) and the 7 heavenly virtues (A combination of the 4 Greek "cardinal" virtues and the 3 "theologican" virtues from the letters of St Paul). How educational is this???
The virtues would ultimately become reworks of the sins or vice versa.........vice versa? What about vice/virtue??? .......mmmmm and thus the album title was created. Now for the music.
​The first tracks created were "Luxuria" (Lust) & "Castitas" (Chastity) and it was at this point thoughts turned to artwork. Images were required that would not only portray the vices and the virtues as polar opposites and at the same time be consistent with each other in appearance. Finally an artist named "Hagosan" was commissioned to do the artwork - the results were suberb. Also included are icons to represent both the sins and virtues. As for the album design black was always going to represent the sins, but what colour for the virtues? PINK, bright pink, making "Vice:virtue" one of the more stand out albums from a visual perspective in the whole Breezy catalogue.

1. LUXURIA (Lust): Track 1, don't ask me why I picked "Lust" first, these things just happen. The feel of the track needed to suggest sleaze, as that is most common conception of Lust. The deep bassline provides this, the hand claps  and percussion give the track a street vibe, suggesting cruisin' around town checking out the other sex. However, Lust originally was meant as  desire, a deep desire  for anything, such as money or power, not just the sexual connotations. As well as it's "sister" track Castitas, there is both an edit & a remix for Luxuria, the "Lechery edit" and the "Concupiscence mix".
​Interestingly, the long intro, usually associated with Breezy opening tracks, is not here. Read into that what you will........................

2. GULA (Gluttony): Complicated one Gluttony, meaning an overindulgence of something to the point of waste. It is for that reason only, there's as much on this as possible!!! On the menu we have the deep "fried" bass of course, and a drizzle of percussion. The drum-loop is simple enough lightly toasted, but then lavished all across the track are a variety of synths, pads, sequences and all manner of tastiness. This pulsing track really leaves the diner wanting more, something from the sweet trolley perhaps or a waffer theen mint?
​Only one alternate version of Gula, the "Nimis house of ill-repute mix". Nimis, according to Thomas Aquinas is one of the 6 ways someone can commit Gluttony, it is simply eating too much. The mix therefore is served up as a healthy 7 minute portion - Yum!!! 

 3. AVARITIA (Greed): Although Greed is a third sin of excess it is applied in the main to the desire for material possessions. The track itself is therefore quite simplistic in it's design.  The long tapping intro impatiently hints at a need for more. The grumbling bassline and  uncomplicated drum section keep the track moving along, but once more the desire for more from this track is evident. The swelling pad in the background is the only section that can be heard in "Caritas" The trance style sequences slowly build but only hint that you can have more. The track then breaks, bass, drum, sequence, synth and that makes you want more, but there is no more, but you want more, but there is no more, but you want more, but there is no more, not even a remix...........................what's that? you want more?.............. ooh you greedy thing! 

4. ACEDIA (Sloth): So we come to Sloth, the odd-one out of the vices. Sloth by it's nature suggests laziness, which is true and applies both physically and spiritually. Therefore, ACEDIA  was never going to be the dance/techno offering that was originally set-aside for the vices. Instead we have a slower tempo track, which at track 4 sits nicely slap bang in the middle of the 7 vices. There are some long drawn out sound effects, the drum loop just limps along, listless. A very lazy piano makes the occasional appearance, when it can be bothered to. Then there's that high-pitched melody, what is that?  It's a bit annoying, can we get rid of it? Actually no,  I'm a bit tired, we'll leave as it is, I just can't be bothered right now ............ yawn ............ zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................
​There are no remixes or edits of Acedia, it seemed too  much like hard work!!!

5. IRA (Wrath): GRRRRRRR.................. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!! Sometimes known as rage, WRATH is uncontrollable feelings of anger or hatred. Impatience, revenge and a self-destructive nature are common forms of WRATH. The track therefore features a very angry synth, there's plenty of percussion in there too, stuff you can really bang and vent some frustration on. Then there's that hiss, that's dislike for you, right there sssssss!
​Then there's what appears to be a calm, but it isn't a calm is it, you're brooding, slowly getting madder and madder and redder and redder and you're just waiting, go on, once more, go on, I dare you, I double dare you! You then proceed to vent your spleen at some poor bloke that only wanted to borrow your pencil!!!
​Ira, just in case you hadn't had a breakdown comes with both an edit and a remix. The "Spite" edit speaks for itself, as for "Aemons' revenge mix" that's over 7 minutes of ranting, shouting and blood-boiling.
​Alright, calm down!

6. INVIDIA (Envy): Not dissimilar to GREED and LUST, ENVY is all about desire. Like jealousy, ENVY shows discontent to anothers attributes, standing and possessions, however the envious will covet it. Which brings us nicely onto the track itself, a busy little number, lot's going on. A brooding wobble bass, an irritable little percussion combo and a heavy kickdrum suggest scheming and deception.
​Add to that a variety synths and sequences. There's also a moody pad, groping around in the back there, looking for something, something that doesn't belong to it, but he wants it, covets it, desires it.
​INVIDIA has an edited version called the "495-570 edit" 495-570 is the predominant wavelength at which the colour green is evoked by light. Green being a colour closely associated with ENVY, as in "Green with envy". INVIDIA desperately wants a remix and is extremely envious of LUXURIA, GULA and IRA.

7. SUPERBIA (Pride): Incredibly PRIDE is considered by many as the source of the vices, it is deemed the original and the most serious of the 7 deadly sins. PRIDE identifies a belief that one is better than others and fails to acknowledge the accomplishments of others. Not forgetting of course an admiration of ones own self and unwarranted boasting. ​The track therefore absolutely believes itself to be bees-knees, but we know that isn't true, because the Bees knees is track 6 on "A bizarre reversal of fortune".
​We start with a little bit of synth and slowly build up some percussion and add a simple bass, almost cocky. Bit more synth and a choppy sequence then there's this smug, full of itself melody that comes in and out of the track. Bits drop out and come back in again and it really doesn't know when to stop. It's a cheeky little dance track, oh but doesn't it know it!?
​SUPERBIA also boasts a remix, "Lucifers lounge mix", to be precise that loves itself so much it's over 8 minutes in length. (Don't tell INVIDIA!) There is also an edit, the "Peacock edit" which is only short but will have great pleasure in telling you "It's what you do with it that matters!"

8. CASTITAS (Chastity): The virtues kick off with CASTITAS or chastity. Whilst chastity, as with lust, as more recently become associated with sex, that was not always the case. Originally, one of the many meanings for chastity was the ability to refrain and not be tempted or corrupted by other influences and distractions.
​The track itself therefore has been lessened in tempo and the piano whilst still there is much more subdued. The main guitar piece, also used in Lust, runs in and out of the piece as the temptation or the corruption. The remaining elements in the track represent them working together to refrain from these intoxicants. Some parts of the track Chastity is on top, particularly at the beginning, in others it's Lust, more so at the end. But which will win out?
​There were many outside influences and temptations to create multiple versions of this track, such as edits and remixes but we remained chaste and pure.

9. Temperantia (Temperance): Temperance by definition is practicing self-control, moderation and/or abstinence. Therefore unlike Gula all the over the top showiness has been removed.  The bass is more plodding and thoughtful, the drum loop and percussion section are almost industrial suggesting working hard maintain self-control. The track is very methodical and the only part also used in Gula has been slowed down to an extant that is almost sounds like "What do you want?" This chant runs throughout the track, whilst the track itself tries to maintain moderation.
​Of course, for Temperance, restraint was shown and a shortened edit of this track was created. There is no extended version that would be just sheer over-indulgence!

 10. CARITAS (Charity): Caritas was the second of the virtues to be created and was therefore came  into  being before Avaritia. Again the original meaning of charity is not the same as it's more restricted modern definition. It is more about self-sacrifice than the benevolent giving it is more closely associated with today. More closely releated to love in a sense of kindness to others and is considered the ultimate perfection of the human spirit. This love resides in the will rather than the emotions.
​So the track, due to this self-sacrificial undertone, relies heavily on this dark swelling, brooding pad. As already suggested people use charity and it's modern definition of giving. So many of us, however, do this for ourselves our image and our perceived thoughts from others. In contrast, the little xylophone tinkle is re-affirming it's not all bad. There are many people out there doing all the right things for all the right reasons.
​In keeping with the more modern association the remix gives more than any other track in the collection. At  a whopping 12 minutes in length the "Incipit domi" remix keeps both the swell pad and the xylophone and throws them together against an unrelenting dance-style bass and kickdrum.

 11.INDUSTRIA (Diligence): So here is the exception of the virtues. This time the down tempo nature of the virtues was not going to sit in the world of diligence. The opposite to Sloth a decisive work ethic, steadfastness in belief and a capability to not give up all needed to be reflected in this track. To create this a heavy industrial drum loop and percussion set-up starts the track. It is systematic, it's timely and organised, you'd probably employ this track to run your office. It has contributed to Acedia massively and Acedia was so lazy, in fact, it took everything and blatantly ripped it off. There are a couple of glaringly obvious sections in both tracks.
​Industria has the "Zealous" edit, which was meticulously executed in a timely fashion.

 12. PATIENTIA (Patience): In complete contrast to Ira, patientia shows dignity, moderation and forgiveness. This track will resolve issues and arguments with respect and without resorting to anger and fighting.
​The track is very chilled out as it's title would suggest. A very simple drum section and elaborate use of pads and synths sit in the background. The bass is again simple and methodical and every so often you here Ira venting it's frustration in the distant, but patientia just soothes and calms everything down.
As for alternate versions there is both an edit and a remix. "Azriels' edit" is just a shorter version than that on the album  and the "Mercy mix" is a much more up-tempo version of the track which builds a sense of peaceful stability and harmony rather than conflict and hostility.

13. HUMANITAS (Kindness): Kindness by definition hasn't changed much at all, compassion and friendship for its own sake, empathy and trust without prejudice or resentment. Having a positive outlook and a cheerful demeanour in order to inspire kindness in others.
​The track has a very deep and thoughtful bassline almost monotonous this is to signify the resentment and prejudice that many of us witness day to day. Wrapped around that bassline though are some nice warm pads and fluffy synths. There is no drum and minimalist percussion at all, just soothing sounds.............aaaahh that's better.
​With an "Integrity" edit and "Raphaels compassion" mix Humanitas is given a lot of love and extra hugs and cuddles.

14. HUMILITAS (Humility): The final track on the album, humility is The courage of the heart necessary to undertake tasks which are difficult, tedious or unglamorous, and to graciously accept the sacrifices involved. Unlike pride it is about giving credit where credit is due not unfairly glorifying ones own self.
​It is with all that in mind that Humilitas takes a backseat and lets others come to the fore. Again downtempo and somewhat chillout, humilitas is happy in its own skin. Showing only modesty aginst the other 13 tracks. The soothing drum beat, warbling sequence and warm pads, show defiance and bravery against the more sinister chimes and sequences.
​Just the "Submission" mix for this track which rather modestly is just an extended version, no bells, flashing lights or neon signs, just a bit more humility.