棲居在溪源之上 Seeking the Sources of Streams

「當山成為生活，它就不再是地點， 而是你在山上感受到什麼。」 Cicada最新專輯《棲居在溪源之上》， 三年的時間草徑，回望出九首曲目。 走過渺茫大疫 溪源揮散登頂的迷霧 雨和太陽同時存有 在棲居中與土地對話 回望，原來就是向前 《棲居在溪源之上》是一趟上山與返家的悠長旅程，走出有霧的森林，探尋山林深處的谷地，重新看見山頭之外，邊界迷漫開闊的溪源。 「原來所謂『溪的源頭』並不是一座邊界清楚的湖。」溪源，從不是它，而是它們；是谷地裡的小水窪與伏流、石洞與沙孔，尋找溪源也是尋找自我。Cicada如返最初，「山」不再只是登頂，藉由山行所見林相，將臺灣的身世，刻進琴聲。 主創江致潔從南三段延伸，走入中央山脈核心，思索源頭的開闊與涓滴。為著旅程中的一株紅檜，更深入探訪扁柏神殿，譜記台灣林業中，那些巨木曾在的痕跡。在每一道稜線與圈谷中穿行，惟有長時間登山才能發覺，山是水孕育出來的。水在山的各時各處，霧雨中抵達的山中營地、午夜敲打天幕的落雨、清晨出發時葉隙的露水⋯⋯雨和水化作專輯的六首短曲，串連首尾，隨著樂曲，如同再次從營地下山途經松針小徑，登山是雙向的返家。 《棲居在溪源之上》跨越與消弭了眾山之名，在山與山之間，深刻地感受山的構成，有雨水與稜線、圈谷與巨木。這一次，Cicada的山，更是心靈的山與自我療癒的山，山不再是某個地點，而是森林中感受到的一切。 溪源之上，種種地表多岐的紋理、容納生死更新的倒木與樹的樣態，藉由原有的鋼琴、弦樂與吉他，再拓展出木管與打擊樂器，將一切已知與未知的誕生，如高低蟬鳴，交疊演奏。 “Seeking the Sources of Streams” documented a long journey exploring the valleys deep in the mountains. Stepping out of the misty forest is the vast and boundless sources of streams. We realized the source is not a lake that could be clearly defined but formed by puddles, seasonal underflow, and pores of rocks and sand. We came out of the experiences wandering in the mountains and ingrained the history of Taiwan through music. The purpose of hiking is no longer to reach the peaks but to seek within. The composer Jesy trekked in the core of Central Mountain Range to search for the trickling drops and expansive valleys in sources of streams. The encounter with a Benihi tree inspired her to visit the Hinoki forest and composed the music for remains of giant trees which fell during the logging history. It took us a while wandering through the ridges and cirques to realize the mountains were formed from water. Water exists everywhere from the misty rain in the campsite, midnight rain on the tent, and dew drops on the leaves while departing… Rain and water became the theme of six short pieces in the album. Through the music, we once again hiked the forest trail between the physical home to/from the spiritual home. “Seeking the Sources of Streams” diminished the borders of the mountains and opened up the awareness of the elements in mountains through the rain, ridgeline, cirques, and giant trees. The mountains in this album are not merely locations but everything we experienced within. Over the sources of the streams, the wrinkles of the land accepted both living and fallen trees. The woodwinds and percussion instruments joined piano, strings, and guitar to manifest the natural cycles of birth and death like harmonies of cicada sounds.