Customer Reviews

Ancient Journeys

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cusco has become my favorite New Age musical group because they express the music of various cultures and connect it to discoveries and major events in the past. Track #1 "Da Gama" begins with a provocative flute introduction, the hallmark of Cusco. With impressive fluidity and style Ottmar Liebert, a guest artist, enhances the Turkish and Spanish cultural effects with his guitar playing. "Ancient Journeys" includes the guitar, violins, keyboards, and percussive instruments -- creating very unique and evocative music.

"Conquistadors" (track #2) creates a feeling of triumph and soaring energy ... the occasinal flute is overcome by the percussion and sense of extremely urgent flourshing melodies. One senses the weakening hold of the flute music as other instruments become more dominant ... reminiscent of historically accurate events. Track #6 "The Journeys of Marco Polo" includes spendid guitar playing and synthesizer variations on the main theme/melody. A most distinct and fascinating musical interlude is one that resembles the trotting of horses ... Another interlude has Turkish or Middle Eastern rhythms that captivate the listener. "The Horseman of Bulgar" is a tremendously triumphant artistic achievement. It is a masterpiece of splendor and grandeur ... I love the Asian root sounds and the cross-over transiitonal sections that have a Balkan-like flavor. Erika Borsos (erikab93)

Ancient Journeys is good but not great. Don't expect it to blow you away. This set of music lacks alot of the characteristics of some of the previous CUSCO CDs. The melodies do not stand out nearly as much as songs from CUSCO's other recordings.

Don't get me wrong, this is a good CD, but it's just not their best. For better CDs look to Apurimac I, CUSCO 2000, or THE BEST OF CUSCO.

Bottom line: If you enjoyed Apurimac I and/or II then you'll like this CD provided you're not going to object to the music extending beyond the South American flavor of those works. If you liked Apurimac III, then read no further, go directly to checkout line--you'll almost certainly like this one, too.

Cusco has been a favorite of mine for quite some time and I have most of their work. This one isn't in my top 2 or 3 but its growing on me and very representative of their recent work. I've enjoyed it more than Apurimac III for instance. Yes, its less cohesive than the Apurimac series but I don't find that a problem--although I did find it a bit odd that they didn't arrange the titles in order with respect to the history they attempt to portray. In any case, the variety in style makes it more like some of their earlier work like Water Stories or even Cusco II. But it adds the sophistication and complexity in arrangement and instrumentation of the Apurimac series.

If you're new to Cusco, I'd have to recommend going back to Apurimac and starting there. But if you have a Cusco CD or two and liked them, then get this one, you're not likely to be disappointed--I wasn't!

Ancient Journey's is almost a continuous journey off the Apurimac Series. If you like extraordinary music that uplifts, makes your mind wander, and your soul speak; this may be what you need. No words, just instruments. Cusco uses techno influences merged with wood instruments from primitive lands to make a unique blend of music now recently coined Techno Tribal. It is not harsh to the ears, just pleasant and serene. Great music for relaxing, hiking, reading, drawing, or sleeping.

In a world full of problems it's nice to know Cusco can take us to beautiful places.

If you liked Cusco's Apurimac series, you will enjoy this as well. It still has many of the same Cusco tunes they are known for, as well as new sounds. Expand your New Age/Trance collection with this new Cusco CD, you will be glad you did! I know I am.

Just when I thought there would be nothing more coming from CUSCO after Apurimac III, they have delivered an awesome next. Honestly this is not recommended for morons that are fans of commercial music. It is for enlightened fans who have grown out of commercial music and are on a different plateau.

I have everything Cusco has done and the only CD's I like better are Apurimac I and III. The music is lively and at the same time soothing. I especially like the variety of music with its global themes.

This collection of compositions lauds itself as commemorating ancient journeys. From a modernistic view, this assertion is hardly contestable but prospective buyers should be aware that this body of music is chiefly the rendering of a single musician articulating a Synthesizer. Guitar, percussion, and an occasional small choir supplement this main instrument.

Here are my personal observations of each of the CD tracks:

1. Da Gama (3:31) -- A Brazilian synthesizer feel. Very upbeat, played predominantly in the minor key. Nice guitar.

2. Conquistadores (3:36) -- A peppy tune rendered in parallel harmonies.

3. Land of the Midnight Sun (4:25) -- Atmospheric, moody and more synthesized exploration.

4. Tigris & Euphrates (6:40) -- Solemn wallpaper music at a restrained meter. The chord structures yield a near-Irish flavor.

5. Byzantium (5:30) -- A percussion-based arabesque.

6. The Journeys of Marco Polo (3:03) -- A steady ostinato of synthesizer notes, coupled with minor percussion and guitar at a fast-paced meter.

7. The Horsemen of Bulgar (5:26) -- A Modernistic syncopated theme with some thick chords punctuating the entrance of an eastern concept.

8. Kublai Khan (4:21) -- This composition never really achieves any sort of Oriental feel as one might anticipate but is more Middle-Eastern in flavour (perhaps reflecting Kublai Khan's migrations and conquests). Definitely a modernistic arabesque.

9. The Crusades (5:38) -- A vague choir-based composition with clear roots in ancient religion.

As a number of these compositions allude to ancient religious themes (such as "The Crusades"), I think I can recommend a far superior, if not precisely comparable, CD which better conveys the actual tenants of at least Byzantium Christianity which was more "church-based" than it was "people-based":

Hovhaness: Magnificat Op157; Symphony No12

Of course this is Modern Classical Music, conveyed by orchestra, pipe organ and a monumental choir (see my full review of the work). In any case Ancient Journeys: A Vision of the New World is an okay body of modernistic compositions, played for the most part on the newest of electronic instruments. My view is, if you can pick it up somewhere for a couple of bucks, it's probably worth having on your shelf for an occasional listen or to put on as dinner music but it's clearly not a timeless musical artwork.

Another stuning release from Cusco! Even though I don't think it's their best release, it's still pretty good. This album is definetly upbeat with all the high speed druming in the background and the flute trills too. My favorite tracks are Da Gama , Land of the Midnight Sun, and Kublai Khan. If your a new Cusco fan, I think this is a pretty good album to start out with. Oh , and you'll be seeing a lot more reviews from the 12 year old New Age music fan in the future. As long as I have the CD you want info about, if I'm availible , I'll gladly share some info with you, for any and all New Age fans,I'mheretohelp.

Ancient Journeys is a musical saga through the pages of time capturing the sound images of caravans to the Orient, the bazaars of Byzantium, the seaward thrusts of Spanish galleons, and more. Ancient Journeys surveys the worlds of antiquity and visionary sojourns into the new world. This instrumental recording is flawlessly produced and represents a unique and memorable journey down through the echoing halls of time. The selections comprising Ancient Journeys include: Da Garna (3:31); Conquistadores (3:36); Land of the Midnight Sun (4:25); Tigris & Euphrates (6:40); Byzantium (5:30); The Journeys of Marco Polo (3:03); The Horsemen of Bulgar (5:26); Kublai Khan (4:21); and The Crusades (5:38). Total Time 42:17

"Cusco" is a group, which is to the highest respect famous and respectable not only among the admirers of the new age music. To the point, the first album by this group was released in the far-away 1980, when it was not yet customary to use such terms as "new age music" or "new instrumental music". The founders of "Cusco" were two famous German musicians - Michael Holm and Kristian Schultze. Michael Holm is famous as a composer and rock vocalist, which was included in the top ten of the most popular artists of Germany. He has created more than 800 songs, which were released by many copies. But Michael always wanted to do something more substantial. And he has found it, when he visited ancient sacred temples of the Incas in Machu Picchu. Having founded the "Cusco" group, together with his old friend Kristian Schultze, which gained popularity due to his performance in the famous jazz-rock-fusion group "Passport", Michael began performing original music, which represented a many-colored mix of various styles with a brightly expressed coloring of ancient cultures of Incas and Aztecs. Percussion, pan-pipes, cosmic sounds - all these amalgamated into a cocktail of instrumental music, which became a visit card of "Cusco". So, it is not surprising that a debut album of the group was very popular in Japan.

With the famous Higher Octave Music company the artists collaborate since 1987. During this time ten albums of "Cusco" were released by more than two millions copies and many times appeared in the top-tens and top-twenties of the Billboard new age charts.

"Ancient Journeys" is a new musical trip of the artists through countries and continents. This time their way lies to the Mediterranean, and passing by the Byzantia, to the Middle East. Nevertheless, the American Indians melodies present in the music of "Cusco"! Every composition of the album leads the listener to a particular journey, to a concrete place and time. Music of "Cusco" is very figurative. Not occasionally Michael Holm speaks about it in a following way: "CUSCO is a storyteller, only we paint the pictures with sound and melodies. Whether it's lions roaming the Serengeti Plain or an Aztec temple, the image is what brings the music to life.» And the guitar of the famous Ottmar Liebert brightly adorns composition "Da Gama". In general, sounding of the album is rich, though it has a little "pop" orientation. Still, "Cusco" can be named as a popularizer of the new age music. Without the colorful sound-visual show of Michael Holm and Kristian Schultze this music surely would not be so rich and wonderfully "living".

Serge Kozlovsky
http://sergekozlovsky.com