Customer Reviews

Lights in the Dark

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Hector and the ladies go way beyond the traditional ethereal old and modern Irish religious Sean Nos of the likes of Noirin Ni Riain, who is justly thanked on this album "for paving the way". Nowhere the same, nowhere boring, nowhere conventional, but refreshing, surprising and renewing a very old tradition. Like a genuine Celtic tradition to mould an amalgam of the very best of foreign elements (Japanese!) with the strong potential of indigenous traditions to create a unique and succesful blend. A perfect album as such, in its sheer musical brilliancy but even with consideration to the tradition of numerical esoterism when putting its strongest track Amhran na Paise on position seven (!) out of a total of thirteen (!) Columcille himself would have approved! He who has ears, may he hear...

This should surprise nobody. The man needed to set straight the dangerous Riverdance tendency which should not be the world's window on Irish culture. Lights in the Dark follows naturally the even more ethereal -- but perhaps more feral -- Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corse (Philips 848515-2), a set of Corsican choral works with a little touch of John Cale. How can I find out what's happening next? Do I wait 'til Cale comes to Australia again, and ask him? Hector, talk to me!

An ethereal, dreamy collection of sacred Irish hymns - very different from Hector Zazou's other CDs, but equally mesmerising. The vocalists and arrangements are haunting. Not to be missed!

Lights in the Dark is not business as usual for Hector Zazou. For those familiar with his recent pop-oriented theme/concept albums, this release is VERY different. This is a collection of Gaelic Hymns. While his previous albums have been almost global in their scope and appeals to pop music, which were there strong points, this album is almost academic in it's adherence to the mood of the work. That having been said, this album is VERY relaxing and almost etherial. HZ's got real talent and his artists here (For when does he EVER work alone) are more than up to the task of making these songs authentic, accessable and worthwile.

If you like Dead Can Dance, you'll love this one. It has all the mystery and sombre tones of DCD. If you like Loreena, you love the lovely, clear vocals. Yet this CD is different enough to stand on its own. The instrumentation is very rich in sounds and textures and the voices are like angels. Don't miss it.

beautifulsonicfabulisticallycoolstuff.Great with coffee or tea

I have no prior experience with Hector Zazou but I do have a vast collection of traditional Irish, Irish Gaelic and Celtic music and this is by far one of the best... put it on and you are transported to a stone abbey in the West of Ireland!

Después de leer algunos de los comentarios de otros oyentes de la más reciente producción de Hector Zazou no es dificil inferir que las obras "Sahara Blue" y "Songs form the cold seas" son las más seguidas (compradas) de este autor. Sin embargo, esas obras representan una excepción en la "corriente" de Zazou donde por más de 10 trabajos su -al parecer- búsqueda ha sido la interdisciplinariedad. Claro está que esa más-que-esdrújula palabra le queda corta por que Zazou traduce una intención de unir en la música las etnias. Desde 1983 con sus trabajos al lado de Bony Bikaye o aún antes Zazou transcribe si se quiere el deseo de encontrar un lenguaje primario. Y por lo visto su brújula apunta ahora a las culturas gaélicas. Si llega a este texto para encontrar un reducto de ánimo que lo conduzca a comprar, no lo dude. Hágalo. Descubra así una mente inquieta que nos habla de una época donde la aparente velocidad nos reduce las distancias para descubrir que el camino hacia el interior apenas comienza.

If you like Virginia Astley you are bound to love this album as its possibly the greatest one she never made.Theres a link of sorts with Virginia as the entire album is dedicated to Caroline Lavelle who takes part.
This is an album I play a lot.I've had it on a Walkman,ringing through my ears.I've LIVED with it.
Maybe at some future stage this Algerian expatraite will coax Virginia out of retirement to put in an appearance on some future album,the ame way he apparantly did with the ex Passion Barbara Gogan.
Zazou is a Cult Artiste who will never find commercial fame yet will continue to make great music. You just have to be grateful for stuff like this,for record companies who will spend a fortune and know there will be little return
This is Forever Music that makes you feel good and I would say this is the Zazou you should hear first before exploring the other albums