| This 2005 album has continually been one of the top sellers in Planet Mu's digital catalogue, and after many requests is now being returned to print in the physical realm. Inspired by a journey to Hungary, the album title and all of the track names are in Hungarian; 'Rossz Csillag Alatt Szuletett' translates as 'Born Under A Bad Star', a Hungarian expression meaning "cursed from birth." Stylistically, the album consists of classical strings and brass combined with Venetian Snares' precise breakbeats, sampling heavily from composers such as Bartok, Stravinsky, Mahler, Paganini, Elgar, and Prokofiev. The concept of the album came when the artist imagined himself as a pigeon on Budapest's Kiralyi Palota. Its third track 'Ongyilkos Vasarnap' is a version of the song 'Szomoru Vasarnap' ('Gloomy Sunday') by Hungarian composer Rezso Seress, which has been referred to as the Hungarian suicide song. According to urban legend, Seress's song has inspired many suicides, including that of his fiancee. Allmusic guide says "typically uncompromising and unsettling, although it is certainly constructed with great technical skill and maintains an abrasive beauty throughout. The result is a dynamic musical and spiritual tension - and an awesome listening experience for those who can handle the strong stuff". Venetian Snares says "These are love songs and grief songs". |
