Carpe Diem – Ne Plus Ultra (2024)
Like the soothsayers of old, philosophers of yesteryear or elders who have advice to pass on, Carpe Diem walks with audiences to find the meaning of life. Poetic and intimate, the duo’s stories are profound and provocative, but simultaneously soothing and cinematic. The Hong Kong-based band reached our ears with their 2023 single ‘Airborne’, but their music has captured listeners for several years to international critical acclaim. The latest addition to their discography is the single ‘Ne Plus Ultra’.
Blending the talents of Ava (vocals) and Keith (guitar), Carpe Diem continues their saunter through 2024 with ‘Ne Plus Ultra’. Following ‘Nature Odyssey’, the pair shift to a sincere indie-rock sound with ‘Ne Plus Ultra’. With the calming folk-tinged lilt heard in ‘Nature Odyssey’, listening to the new single is like travelling along a gentle sonic river while cheerful fairies twinkle in the air. Joined by Bryan Kam (bass), Dennis Chan (percussion) and Dominic Kwok (keyboard), there is a hint of vintage indie-folk swirling in the concoction of instruments; however, a rock-filled forcefulness breaks lose in Keith’s bold guitar as Ava’s voice sends shivers down your spine in its haunting attitude.
The melody itself has the laidback calm of a simplistic song, but the profound lyricism adds intricacy to the single. Interestingly, while it showcases the philosophical complexity of the theme, Ava’s vocals navigate bringing clarity to ‘Ne Plus Ultra’. Carpe Diem explains:
“We understand that we will never find what we want from life and that we must rally against the universe… we must accept that living means never truly getting what we want from reality, and despite this, there is still a way to find some kind of meaning in all the meaningless… we are all pursuing perfection, but there is no perfection in this world. As long as you know how to let go, you will find that even an imperfect world can still be perfect.”
In addition to the single, Carpe Diem released an official music video for ‘Ne Plus Ultra’. You can view the video below or via their YouTube channel. Please note that this video uses lighting effects that can trigger migraines and/or seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy. Viewer discretion is advised.
VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED
Find out more about Carpe Diem on their Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Spotify.
This artist was discovered via Musosoup #sustainablecurator
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