Konrad Kucz Via Contemplativa Litania CD / 12 Tracks / 54:49 mins Play Sample:   56K Dialup   Broadband Download Sample:   500K   1.5Mb (Excerpt from track(s) 'Part 8') Please go to the Store to buy this item.

A lone Gregorian chant calls out over some of the most wonderful dark windy drones I have ever heard- then abruptly, as if a guillotine has fallen, silence descends. A mixture of wordless vocal and string pads now float through the ether. These have a slightly lighter feel to them- but not much. More really deep bass drones arrive. This is incredibly impressive- and we are still in the 'Intro'! 'Part 1' has a more metallic feel but even these tones have a deep reverberating feel to them. A slightly disturbing haunting quality is emphasised by the delicate and sparse use of more Gregorian utterances but these are not of the 'singy' type, more like a mournful warning. 'Part 2' shimmers into life, it's like a spinning coin slowly winding to a halt then speeding up again. A most curious and compelling effect. Then in come some tinkling water droplet type notes marking out the most delicate of melodies. There is such a subtle beauty to it all but with a feeling of unease still hovering in the background. Again there is a sudden change as the warning chants give a single utterance then fade away leaving a simple organ line which at first is so deep that it hardly sounds like an organ at all. Angelic wordless choral sighs give a rather spiritual feel. Their memory slowly fades into the distance as we move to 'Part 3' More conventional Gregorian chants return, beautiful in their own right (and not overdone), their exquisiteness heightened by the most subtle of melodic sequences. 'Part 4' returns us to dark windy realms with doom laden string flourishes. The contrast with the previous track couldn't be more marked. Choral pads do soften things nearer the end but there is still a mournful feel to it all. The mood does lift again a little for 'Part 5' as things become rather spiritual again. Ideal for a quiet moment of contemplation from which we are awoken as the backing swells. It's as if there is a sudden realisation of something that has been eluding us. 'Part 6' lightens the mood still further- simply Heavenly stuff. The next part fills my mind with pictures of the cover artwork- a moody black and white image of a boat floating on a very still lake as the sun rises and the morning mist disappears. It's a very beautiful and serene vista / soundscape. A delicate sequence slowly rises as 'Part 8' starts to form. The subtlest use of chant colouring punctuates the wonderful pulsations as they seep into your soul then something is said and immediately we descend to silence. 'Part 9' starts with deep crashing effects as we enter more malevolent realms. It's as if doors are being slammed behind us, cutting off any chance of retreat. 'Part 10' sees no let up to the uneasiness as watery effects mix with eerie strings. Moaning from the long dead rises up from the depths of the dark lake. Clanging effects and the sound of something being thrown into the water heighten my dark thoughts. The 'Finale' finishes things with a more positive and again 'spiritual' feel as subtle organ mixes with gorgeous deep pads and just the slightest wordless vocal colouring. The sound starts to surge, even becoming quite euphoric but there is still a hint of sadness right until the end. Sure, this is an 'atmospheric' album but that term simply does not do it justice. It is a masterpiece of painting pictures with sound and quite frankly I am in awe of Konrad's skill. Surely we must hear more from this guy in future. Musicians of this talent are rare in any form of music. I absolutely loved this album. A truly amazing release. (DL)

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