- Label: Ahnstern.
- Year: 2009.
- Style: Traditional / Psychdelic Folk Experimentation.
- Format: CD.
- Note:
- Score: 84%
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Stupid enough, I was going to base this review on first impressions, as in writing the review during my first listening. And to spice things up, I took the CD and a portable player to a place very special to me, sat comfortably, plugged the earphones in and pressed play.
30 minutes later, I returned home. Felt quite empty and very disappointed. "Is this the album I've been waiting for, is this the second part of the "Empty Circle" trilogy!?".
Of course, I decided not to base the review on what I felt that night. I understood that it takes a while to crack the shell of a album of this calibre. And throwing thoughts back to when "Swirling Lands of Disquiet and Catharsis" came, it was the same story then. Every THE JOY OF NATURE work is a grower, and craves your full attention and dedication, for more than once.
Now, circa three (I apologize my delay ) months later, I can't stop listening to this masterpiece of dark folk experimentation. On the bus, at home reading, while taking a bath, to accompany a glass of wine... There is simply so much to discover, and I'm afraid I have so much to say about "Rastos de Sangue e Fragmentos da Tradição", that I will take up way too much of your precious time, so I will try to be somewhat brief here.
Anyway, let's see what we have! As mentioned, this is the second part of the "Empty Circle" trilogy.
After the first part, also mentioned, THE JOY OF NATURE immediately began recording and processing these new songs. Luís Couto, who should be considered the masterbrain behind the project, picked up dozens of instruments and gathered influences and friends from all of the Azores and the Portuguese mainland with hopes of creating the folk album of his dreams. But he wasn't busy enough not to be able to put another little CD out, on the wonderful Little Somebody Records some months ago.
How THE JOY OF NATURE has been evolving through the years can be easily explained like this; They started out as a dark ambient act, that later became a ambient / folk project, and the natural progression now makes them a pure folk project with minor ambiental flirts, emerging from drones and field recordings. It's both dark and psychedelic, both mellow and powerful.
I compared their sound to SANGRE CAVALLUM in my review of the previous album, and I will continue doing that now, and strange it would be otherwise since Hr. Ardo from that particular band handles most of the vocals here on "Rastos de Sangue e Fragmentos da Tradição". A good choice or a bad choice? Well, while he ain't exactly my favourite among vocalists, his strong voice is like moulded for the purpose, which here is to deliver enthusiastic folk song with passion.
I do, however, prefer the tracks, or parts of certain tracks, where Luís' voice is in focus and at times I feel that it's not really THE JOY OF NATURE with another singer... Like, for instance, in the sentimental "Do Outro Lado Da Montanha" near the end of the album, this could very well the the finest THE JOY OF NATURE moment so far, which is the same thing as the finest moment in the history of Portuguese experimental music, ever. It starts with some bells and bird song, escalates along with some plucked strings and a whispered monologue, into a superb dark folk song full of distant flutes, rolling drums and nice guitar lines. And that was just an example, the album offers plenty memorable moments and Portuguese folk music of a distinguished quality.
Just like the first part of this trilogy I so eagerly waiting for to be complete, this CD is a must have. Especially if you're into things like SANGRE CAVALLUM and CURRENT 93, or maybe if you're curious to know how their love child would sound. A clue? Fantastic.
Tracklist:
- Invocação ao Arcanjo Miguel
- Tanchão
- Terra de Lava e de Mar
- Ó Menino Ó
- Nas veias do menino
- Cavalos correm nas minhas veias
- Sete Cidades
- Senhora da Manhã Vitoriosa
- Por Tua Saudade
- Sombras dos Nossos Ancestrais
- A Senhora do Almortão e a Criança Esventrada
- Do outro lado da Montanha
- O Cortejo Sinistro das Sombras
- Para lá das Sombras
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