I am Death, I am Breath, I am Life

Hezron Chetty is a South African violinist who has made a career out of pushing the boundaries of the instrument. Not satisfied with sticking to the classical or jazz worlds, he’s explored countless genres and his latest album is an introspective gem that weaves a tapestry of emotional depth and creativity. I am Death, I am Breath, I am Life is a multimedia project, featuring a companion book by the same title that offers autobiographical context for each track. The project was born from a period of his life ‘marked by divorce, the death of his father and homelessness.’ Opener ‘Composure’ features a gentle pizzicato ostinato that is at odds with the long, plaintive violin and cello lines that weave in and out of each other. In the corresponding chapter of the book, Chetty reflects on the necessity of maintaining composure amid life’s unexpected challenges, inspired by the story of his divorce. The mood morphs subtly as the tracks progress: a feeling of angst pervades ‘Mountain’ (inspired by Chetty’s return to South Africa after the passing of his father); Chetty’s violin is earthy and understandably wails on ‘Death’; and there’s a tender nostalgia to ‘Yogan’, which reflects on his father’s life. The music is minimalist but beautiful, taking in contemporary and ambient soundscapes. Throughout, a simple rising motif is twisted and changed through the moods and there’s something particularly affecting about the alarming strokes of the violin that cut through the ending of ‘Go’.