Ziggy Alberts, folk star from Australia, has finally dropped his long-awaited album, searching for freedom, and the result is breath-taking.
searching for freedom is a twelve-track collection of songs which speak about the multi-faceted ways in which every single soul on the planet is on their own personal journeys of growth. In many ways, we are all searching for our own personal freedoms, be it from daily routine, establishment or the thoughts inside our own heads. This album tells us that we are not alone, that each journey is special and unique, but that we are all in it together.
Title track ‘searching for freedom’ is an absolute album standout, and possibly one of the best and most heart-wrenching songs of Ziggy’s whole career. The fact that it has ended up being one of the most poignant tracks on the album is a testament to Ziggy’s intuition as a songwriter, as the track itself was finished moments before recording. “This song talks about growth, self-love, trade-offs, nurturing environments, expectations of others, slowing down time, the inner spiritual journey, searching for identity, uncovering the layers of our true nature, breaking out of conditioning, perspective shifts, being present, freeing ourselves from ourselves, healing, realigning self-expectations when they aren’t healthy, seeing yourself for who you truly are, finding peace day-to-day, finding peace on the journey, looking into the unknown with hope, reconnecting with nature, the pursuit of truth.”
Another album standout is ‘chocolate’, a toxic masculinity-busting anthem about the shortcomings of fame and fortune. Alberts is not afraid to share his emotions here, speaking as a man who seemingly has it “all” and yet yearns for some true and honest human connection. The strings, piano and banjo play together to create a truly intimate yet expressive atmosphere on this track, a must-hear for any Ziggy fan.
The album stands out against the backdrop of world which can sometimes seem just a little too crazy, somewhat harsh and cruel – a place in which love is so often forgotten. It’s an hour of peace, a moment during your day to reflect on how far you’ve come and meditate on the work which still needs to be done. Or, in Ziggy’s own words, “it’s an expression of an adventure that I’ve realised will last a lifetime.“
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