Release Date: December 1, 2025
Label: Independent
My lifelong journey of discovering new music continues with Metanoia, the most recent release from the collective Falling You, led by John Michael Zorko. According to the information I received, he is referred to as a “sound sculptor.” I find that a very interesting and descriptive choice of words.
Metanoia is a fundamental change of mind or spiritual conversion. After hearing this recording, a sense of change may arise or be strengthened.
“Throw the Stone” starts things off. It is compelling to listen to Colleen Hilker’s vocals. She reminded me of the powerful Pat Bentar. Resonant guitar echoes bounce off the commanding vocals, and it sounds like the beginning of a rock track morphs into an ambient soundscape, with the synth evoking the Tangerine Dream or Kraftwerk. The mixture is wonderful and a great way to get things started. Some might consider this “Dream Pop.”
“Demiurge (Momento Eorum)” In the Platonic, Neopythagorean, Middle Platonic, and Neoplatonic schools of philosophy, the Demiurge is an artisan-like figure responsible for fashioning and maintaining the physical universe.
The chanting takes its place immediately, and in the background, the synths lay down a layer, giving it an air of mystery. The hypnotic trance and Jennifer Wilde’s additional wordless vocals merge seamlessly. This is an entirely different approach and musical style from the opening track. More than halfway through, the synth takes on a deeper, more aggressive sound. The feeling of being in the vastness of space and the complete loss of time washes over your senses. It goes from meditative to spacey synth sounds, which I found captivating.
“Flesh to Tree” begins to take a more rhythmic path. Courtney Grace makes her debut on the release with breathy, sensual vocals. This is another move into a completely different sound. It sounds dreamy (thus the reference to dream pop in their music). The bass plays a significant role as the synths add variable sounds and tempos, and the vocal intonation stays consistent and holds the track’s tempo with strength and purpose.
“Alcyone” is one of the two longest tracks over 10 minutes. Dru Allen provides the vocals. I must say the choice of vocalist has been superb thus far. Each voice owns its place within each track. Here, her lovely, sweet style seems to float over the music with elegance. The keys are the main driver of the music that surrounds the vocals. The gentle keyboards are like a warm, comfortable blanket for Dru to wrap her vocalizations in.
In Greek mythology, Alcyone, or Alkyone, was the daughter of Aeolus, and is also a blue-white giant star, the brightest in the Pleiades open cluster. The interpretation is yours to choose.
“Ari’s Song” keeps the flow of expectation from track to track. This one begins with a strong bass line and a cool breeze of jazz piano, then the ambient synth takes over, and for the first time, harmonica is added (Slim Heilpern), giving yet another dimension you would not have expected. It runs for nearly seven minutes, and the variables that weave through it are fascinating. I would call it progressive instrumental because of the vast array of sounds and instrumentation that come into play.
“Inside the Whale” may bring many things to mind for a listener. The sounds are very spacey and ambient, with a constant soft drone underlying the other sounds, including a loud creaking that sounds like a nail coming out of a board. Based on that thought, my mind began to wander into story land, where a Moby Dick-like creature swallows an entire ship. Or perhaps the ancient tale of Jonah, who was swallowed by a large sea creature. The music did exactly what it was supposed to do, whisking me away to another consciousness.
“Ariadne” features Courtney Grace again on vocals. This is another Greek mythology reference. Ariadne was a Cretan princess, the daughter of King Minos of Crete.
For the first time on the recording, the drums move to the forefront of the composition during different segments. There are several transitions within this piece. There are synth layers, some guitar, and the layering of Courtney’s superb vocals. It’s like opening a musical storybook that pulls you into the mythos of thousands of years ago. This is a track that is difficult to pin down to any one genre or style (and a lot of this music is actually). I would reach back to dream pop and new age as two reference points.
“They Give Me Flowers” is the second track, over 10 minutes. Erica Mulkey provides the vocals and cello on this extensive production. Again, I am finding the vocals compelling and an intrinsic ongoing narrative that enhances the tempos and music that come together. More than halfway through, it takes on a Middle Eastern musical feel, with a slight change in vocal timbre. There is distinctness in the approach here, vocally, with a hypnotic, chanting effect on you as the listener. As soon as that change is complete, another transition begins into a clear, emotionally driven style as she sings, “Look at what they give me, they give me flowers.” I had a thought of royalty or a high priestess being honored during that segment.
“(trying
to weave) A Thread Of Happiness (from one day to the next)” is the shortest
track at 3:51.
The ringing tone throughout could serve as a point of meditation; however, the heavy bass synth arrives, bringing an element not conducive to that state. Variable intonations and wordless vocals (Jennifer Wilde) make it very pleasant.
“Constellations” starts with another ringing tone that falls to the background as other instrumentation takes precedence. A nice guitar takes its place alongside the various textures and colors that make up the wondrous constellations we can observe with the naked eye or examine more closely with telescopes. Amelia Hogan makes her debut on the album with a very different vocal style from the rest of the tracks. Her tone is very distinct (I thought of Alanis Morrisette for a moment). The music reaches an exciting apex around three-quarters of the way through with some guitar.
“Philomena,” also known as Saint Philomena or Philomena of Rome, was a virgin martyr whose remains were discovered on 24–25 May 1802.
This wraps up this incredibly engaging and spacious musical offering with ambient synths, gorgeous piano notes, and magical vocals. Anji Lum takes her place amongst the many incredible women performers, vocalizing to the music like an angel sent from heaven. It is one minute short of another 10-minute musical journey of diverse sounds and textures to capture your imagination. Simply beautiful, like all the tracks you will hear prior to this closer.
Metanoia was like listening to a magical mystery tour of compositions. Regardless of their length, they will keep your interest and give you moments of joy and a respite from the day your current space is inhabiting, creating an entirely different environment to coexist with music. You simply cannot clearly define music like this or put it in a box; it lives in a world of its own.
Credits:
John
Michael Zorko – Composition, synths, guitars, noise
Dru
Allen – Vocals (4)
Courtney
Grace – Vocals (3, 7)
Slim
Heilpern – Harmonica (5)
Amelia
Hogan – Vocals (10)
Anji
Lum – Vocals (11)
Ryan
Lum – Guitars, blues percussion (11)
Erica
Mulkey – Vocals, cello (8)
Shikhee
– Modular synths (8)
Colleen
Hilker – Vocals (1)
Jennifer Wilde – Vocals (2, 9)
Keith
“MuzikMan” Hannaleck-NAMR Review Founder
January 12, 2026
Tracks:
01. Throw the Stone [04:23]
02. Demiurge (Momento Eorum) [05:52]
03. Flesh to Tree [04:41]
04. Alcyone [10:04]
05. Ari's Song [06:39]
06. Inside the Whale [07:46]
07. Ariadne [06:50]
08. They Give Me Flowers [10:06]
09. (trying to weave) A Thread Of Happiness (from one day to the next) [03:50]
10. Constellations [06:58]
11. Philomena [09:59]
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