Facing Flames
feat. Guilda
a concept album
OUT NOW ON ALL PLATFORMS!
On Digital &
LTD Edition Vinyl:
Facing Flames Feat. Guilda
Exactly 2 years ago, I was literally helped back on my feet by beautiful kind humans. Some had hugs to give, some had heartwarming messages, some had money and some had a spare toothbrush. The method of giving wasn’t the important part, the love was. I learnt what real unconditional giving is and also what it means to be on the receiving end whilst not have a choice in the matter. Eventually with Guilda’s help, I started to internalise the entire experience and write about it in the way that I most naturally express myself; I wrote & recorded an album. This would be my way of “giving back”, my thank you. 12 songs - one for each of Guilda’s strings, who together with each of you, inspired & enabled me to get back on my feet and do the one thing I know I want to do till the day I die; write & sing songs. Here’s the record, available on all platforms. From the bottom of my heart, thank you all ❤️
How We Got Here
Microdoc by Batsi Hansen: Meet Guilda
Israel Portnoy is an artist, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and “once-a-year-Cantor” hailing from Hale, Cheshire, UK, and currently residing in the land of his namesake, Israel. His first solo project, a concept album named “Facing Flames feat. Guilda” launched May 23, 2020, with its title-track, (lead-single) alongside an inspiring music video. The date commemorates the one year anniversary of a forest fire that destroyed everything he owned and burned through Mevo Modiin, a village in central Israel where Portnoy lived at the time. His entire musical instrument collection and countless books of lyrics, journals and poetry, and recorded music were obliterated within hours and without prior warning. The only thing he was left with was “Guilda” - his vintage ‘63 12-string guitar, which he had taken with him as he left his house earlier that day. Having lost so much, “Guilda” eventually became his well-needed pivot to reconnect him back with the world and inspire him to write once again.
Singles
Facing Flames
Backporch Blues
One of the first feelings I deeply resonated with after the shock of losing our home (in what started out as a forest-fire), was the idea that I was able to find a deep sense of comfort in connecting to a greater universal sense of loss - a human blues if you will. This, in turn, connected me to something beyond myself and my limited personal experience. It's not that a sense of empathy with others invalidates your own suffering, or even diminishes it. Instead, it brings you back to a place of consciousness that reinforces that what you are going through is a part of the greater human experience. You are never alone in your suffering and that we are indeed "just human too". With that in mind, It felt right that "Backporch Blues" would be the first single I'd release from this concept-album "Facing Flames (feat Guilda)". I went back to the house with Basti Hansen to get an album-cover shot and some footage of what remained. When we were done, we had 10 mins left, and he literally fought against the sunset as I sat in the spot where my wooden back porch where I would sit and write songs.
Life Before Death
I wrote this song after losing everything physically owned. This forced me to dig deep and search for what we actually have beyond physical possessions in this material world. I arrived at the realization that as humans, we continually strive to make a positive footprint on planet earth so that when we die, we are not entirely forgotten. Maybe this is why at such challenging and uncertain times, we see the best of humanity. Perhaps a part of us is thinking that if we are potentially going to die, we should squeeze in some final acts of goodness so that we can leave behind our gifts to the universe.
Guilda’s Prelude
It was a hot day, about 11 months ago, and I hadn't touched "Guilda" (my vintage 12-string guitar) in about a month. You would think I would have, considering she was literally all I owned (and if you know me, you'll know I do like guitar and music quite a bit, so why wouldn't?!). The thing is, I was too wrapped up in the loss of everything. A month earlier (exactly a year ago today in the Hebrew calendar) a forest fire had brunt down our village and thankfully, I had left the house unintentionally holding Guilda so I did have something. Maybe I couldn't bring myself to play her as I could sense some kind of survivor's guilt syndrome. Or perhaps it was because I was numb and struggling to deal with the loss of everything. The thought of trying to make music so soon after losing so much was sickening honestly. I don't know what was different about this particular day, but I decided to just pick her up and hear what she had to say. Yup, maybe for the first time in my life, just get out of the way of the instrument and let her speak. I know that sounds potentially ridiculous to a non-musician, and it may be, but it's also true. It wasn't difficult because I literally had nothing to say anyway and wondered if I ever would again. But I so desperately needed to hear this instrument sing again. And so.. I picked her up and walked onto the wooden deck in this strange foreign-feeling, temporary, displaced-person commune where we had all be moved to till we figured out what the next move was. I sat down and got out of the way for 10 minutes. And this melody instantly fell out of her. I didn't judge it. I didn't "try" to make something, and I didn't dare sing over it. And just like that, I was alive again! Through the grace of Guilda (and some help from God), my creative juices were flowing again, and this concept album was born. This little prelude contains hope, sadness, and perhaps even some lament, over being the only surviving member of a thriving music room of beautiful instruments. So I figured it would be appropriate to go back to the same, now music-cemetery to record this video.
