Album Notes

With Melencolia I -- his third album this year -- Alexander Bonus has proven to be a vastly prolific artist that has invented a new type of electronica, unapologetically fusing both historical and contemporary styles. This album takes as its inspiration the Albrect Durer portrait of the same name; like the Renaissance engraving, these compositions reflect the state of melancholy through an array of sonic objects, both somber and bright. This is Bonus's most introspective and emotionally wrought album, and it signals a new path for the world of electronica.

Unlike the classical arrangements by Tomita or Wendy Carlos of generations earlier, the music of Bonus is original. If certain elements are reminiscent of a Bach organ work, a Handel aria, a Keith Jarrett jam, or a movie soundtrack, it is a testament to Bonus's knowledge of historical styles and his skill in the arcane art of classical improvisation; He is a classically trained musician specializing in harpsichord, organ, and conducting. Bonus "invents" through a combination of rigorous instrumental technique and spontaneous intuition; his improvisatory creative process is similar to that of musicians from centuries past.