Serundal
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8/12/2007 12:33:11 PM
New review 'Ab Initi' (In the beginning)
Snowy Owl is from our most recent album 'Ab Initi' and this album. Check out this review!
Serundal - CD - Ab Initi (The Trilogy - part 1)
(www.serundal.com)
Serundal are husband and wife team, David (guitar, bass, keyboards, synth, vocal harmonies, producer and arranger) and Maxie (lyrics and lead vocals) King and this family that plays together certainly know what they're doing!
'Ab Initi' is an extremely well rounded and beautifully relaxing piece of nu-folk. Seemingly, the first part of a trilogy of such works it is, I suppose, what we used to call a concept album based around an unfolding tale based around the Kingdom Of Roth. Serundal create "A Celtic World of Music, Poetry and Magic" that's superbly crafted and blissfully easy to listen to. The album has mildly hypnotic tendencies that carry you away to a different place. If that place doesn't turn out to be (the otherworld known as) Serundal, it'll certainly take you on your own mystic voyage of fantasy and 'otherworld' influences.
'Ab Initi' is seductive and relaxing. It's a longish work with just eight excellent tracks taking up one hour of your valuable time. Listen to this work and it'll be time well spent; let Serundal caress you with their musical dreamscapes, let them take you into their otherworld - the benefits are many-fold. Serundal have composed a richly evocative work here; David's musical composition has the feeling of being truly understanding of what and where Maxie's poetic words have created, he's managed to provide an empathetic backdrop that suggest he's actually walked through her magical landscapes and taken in everything he's seen and experienced. Here is a couple who understand and compliment each other. A couple that are totally on the same wave-length.
Initially I thought that David had over-used the synths a touch but I soon came to realise that it's those synths that help to conjure up the trance-like backdrop that is part and parcel of Serundal's creation. David plays with breathtaking precision and allows Maxie to weave her spell with beautiful diction and stunning sensitivity - it's a massively impressive coming together of two creative forces into one sublime musical entity.
David composes and plays with a depth and sensitivity not unlike some of the best works of Mike Oldfield and Maxie reminds me of a laid back Annie Haslam and Enya Brennan in her ability to get her lyrics across effortlessly and precisely. The Celtic influences are not too far removed from what Clannad did; equally calming and just as easy to listen to. 'Ab Initi' is breathtakingly cool and mind-numbingly passionate - Serundal do a magnificent job here and don't fall into the trap of being self-indulgent even though 'Ab Initi' is their very own mystical creation.
'Ab Initi' is a pleasure to behold; just let it wrap itself around your person, breath in its intoxicating soundscapes, access the magical world of Serundal, sit back and enjoy this for exactly what it is - a beautifully composed and performed piece of lightly Celtic nu-folk - quality through and through - hypnotic, heady and just great entertainment. Impressive stuff from an equally impressive duo - Serundal and 'Ab Initi' could just take over where Clannad left off!
Peter J Brown aka toxic pete (www.toxicpete.co.uk)
(Rhythm & Booze rating 10)
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