In nature, dahlia flowers represent steadfastness and beauty, as they can bloom after several other flowers die. The latest single from Swedish composer A Tree On A Hill is called “Blue Dahlia” and in its 3 and a half minutes of synths and standalone violin.
My first impression was that this track sounds like a buildup to something it never reaches or maybe just an intro to something, but after a few listens I noticed how this buildup matches with the whole “blooming” concept. Blue dahlias are not found in nature, due to a missing protein that their genes don’t produce. So I think the name choice, the instrumentation, and the arrangement of the track all make sense now.
After the first thirty seconds with the synths, the violin enters in an ethereal and captivating way. It was also aided by a couple of piano/keyboard notes at timed intervals that gave the track more consistency.
The juxtaposition between the violin and synths made me feel like I’m out in nature but also seeing the unnatural and metaphysical, and hence the whole “Blue Dahlia” concept. This track is not your typical bombastic or sophisticated classical composition, but rather an artistic idea that the composer wanted to express in musical notes and sound that represented nature.
It’s a bummer that the track is only 3 minutes and that makes me want to experience a complete album from A Tree On A Hill to entirely get a grasp of what they’re trying to convey with their compositions.