A Sweeping Curve of Sound

[This is the fifth in a series of posts discussing some of my favorite musical releases in 2007.]

This time around I’ll be doing a double-dose of my favorite releases from 2007. Two European bands whose releases point to the still-thriving “ethno-gothic” genre (also called “Neoclassical Darkwave”) created in the wake of bands like Dead Can Dance, and Ataraxia. While there have been many releases in 2007 that could fit under this banner, including quality releases by Faun, Omnia, and Irfan, the two that have impressed me the most are “Regõ Rejtem” by Hungarian band The Moon and The Nightspirit, and “The Spirit Rises” by Italian/French collaboration Khvarena.

The Moon and The Nightspirit

“Regõ Rejtem”, The Moon and the Nightspirit’s second album, highlights a rapidly evolving duo who went from a talented but uneven darkwave project, to a surprisingly confident ethnic folk-driven force to be reckoned with.

“They released an admirable but uneven CD entitled “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” in 2005. Back then I wished they would sing more songs in their native tongue and inject some more energy into their music. It seems that all my wishes were granted because on “Rego Rejtem” (which means “I with conjure magic” in Hungarian) Agnes Toth and Mihaly Szabo de-emphasize ethereal electronics and concentrate on the music and folklore of their native land to create a breathtakingly amazing release.”

While the album is dominated by (Hungarian) folk styles, they also insert electronic atmospherics and even some metal-inspired vocal work to flesh out the album and give the songs an even greater passion and energy. Their music embodies a shamanic primal quality that hearkens to an older Europe.

Downloads: The Moon and The Nightspirit - Rego Rejtem
(from the album “Regõ Rejtem”)

Links: The Moon and The Nightspirit on MySpace

The second release, “The Spirit Rises”, comes from a collaboration between Jeanne & Fabrice Lefebvre of the French band Rajna (a sort of orient-inflected Dead Can Dance), and Francesco Banchini of Gor (a project that gives a special focus to medieval and middle-eastern sounds) called Khvarena (a Zoroastrian concept meaning “divine glory”), a unified musical vision of Europe’s early interactions with the Middle-East that seems to transcend the individual projects and create something truly sublime. This is a work that vocally and sonically rivals Dead Can Dance at their very best.

Khvarena

The band uses lyrics inspired by 10th century Persian poet Ferdowsi, and incorporates a ritualistic reverence for Middle-Eastern ethnic instruments, recalling a time when monotheism was still young, and mysticism the order of the day. This is a mature and intelligent work that impresses from the first listen, and stands up to constant play. An album I enjoy returning to over and over again. One can only hope that this isn’t a one-off project and we will see more from Khvarena in the future.

Downloads: Khvarena - “Khvarena (clip)”, “Zot (clip)”
(from the album “The Spirit Rises”)

Links: Khvarena on MySpace