“Holdrejtek”
is the fourth release from the Hungarian duo The
Moon and the Nightspirit. The purpose of this
band is quite clear: to evoke pagan and folk
mysticism through their music. This particular
album is meant to evoke “a journey to the depth
of soul, in search of the long-lost unity and
the eternal link between Man and Nature.” While
ultimately the interpretation of the music is
left to the listener, I do believe descriptions
like that accurately describe the sound of this
album. It's artfully crafted and beautiful
music, to put it simply.
The album has a very consistent
style throughout, focusing on folksy yet highly
ethereal rhythms. The intricate melodies are
moody, contemplative, and emotionally ambiguous,
although there is an occasional foray into
emotions more reminiscent of pain and fear. The
wide use of instruments by the duo, ranging from
violin, morin khuur, dulcimer, harp, keyboards,
soft percussion, acoustic guitar, acoustic bass,
and kalimba, rounds out the music and gives it a
full and thick texture of lush soundscapes. The
dominant instruments, however, are the acoustic
guitar and the vocals. I really do hesitate to
use the word “folksy” too much as it would imply
something perhaps more akin to Ian Anderson's
playful and quirky brand of flutework, but The
Moon and the Nightspirit manage to tone down the
frantic joy while injecting the listener with a
more down-to-earth brand of folksiness.
While the album can best be
characterized as having an investment in
minimalist exploration of soft melancholy, with
several minutes at a time of repeated patterns
and motifs, “Holdrejtek” noticeably avoids the
trap of creating an album that is beautiful but
not distinctive. Every single track has its own
character, its own stand-out moments, and it's
own small story to tell. The opening track is a
deliberative chant of mysticism driven by the
lovely kalimba, while the wild and evocative
wind instruments in the third track are
simultaneously ominous and gorgeous.
Occasionally some themes are repeated, but for
the most part this is a collection of songs
designed to thematically unite as a whole, not
necessarily musically. For music like this,
that's actually a good thing, as it prevents the
listener from feeling fatigued before it's
finished.
If there is one risk to that,
however, it is Agnes Toth's vocals. Don't get me
wrong – she is a gorgeous and magnificent
singer. But she's also the only factor
throughout the album that doesn't present itself
too differently from song to song – it's the
same style throughout. Luckily, for me, this
works and I love it, but I can also imagine the
album benefiting from the occasional
experimentation away from the soft and slow
vocals.
“Holdrejtek”
is a real treat. I think this music is oddly accessible for
fans spanning metal to pop, so I can't imagine a single
person I wouldn't recommend it to. Give it a listen and let
it take you on a journey, wherever that may be for you.
