Customer Reviews

Seraphim

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

About the Band:

Since their previous self-titled release, Irfan, this Bulgarian heavenly voices / neoclassical ensemble has been joined by Petar Todorov, who brings with him even more traditional instruments in the bands wonderful mix of Eastern European and Middle Eastern inspired folk songs.

With the exception of violins and cellos, the band is known for its use of non-modern (read traditional) instruments. Typical songs feature multiple vocalists and additional guest artists, who bring other rare and lovely sounds into the mix.

Signed to France's Prikosnovenie music label, which describes itself as the world's leader in fairy and fantasy music, Irfan will appeal to a broad range of listeners. If you enjoy Canad's Loreena McKennitt, Australia's Dead Can Dance, England's Mediaeval Baebes, or Germany's Love Is Colder Than Death, then you will find something you like in Irfan.

About the Album:

Seraphim is Irfan's second release and is (in part) named after lead female vocalist Denitza Seraphimova. The name also is Hebrew for the highest order of angles, and as such it appropriately characterizes the heavenly sounds collected in this album.

I ordered this CD directly from France, but the version being offered here on amazon is a North American release carried by the Noir / Dancing Ferret distributor. The track listing looks identical to my Prikosnovenie version, and the price offered here is a steal. Though I highly encourage you to sample the tracks, sadly they only capture small parts of dynamic songs and do not fully represent the range or fullness of the songs.

I was already a fan of the first album, thus I took a few listens to before I was album to appreciate Seraphim on its own merits. This album has a stronger Middle Eastern influence in its early tracks (which at times sounds similar to the US band Vas).

Similar to the shorter classical transition tracks included on many Love Is Colder Than Death albums, Invocatio and Invocatio II, are really just transition pieces. This isn't to suggest that they are not solid songs in their own right. Reminiscent of short choral invocations or hymns like those you would sing in a church service, these two shorter tracks effectively allow the album to transition from Middle Eastern to more Central European sounds.

As promised above, fans of the Mediaeval Baebes will certainly enjoy Seraphimova's layered vocals on Fei. The track, Star of the Winds, was originally released on Dancing Ferret Disc's 2006 compilation. I really like how Star of the Winds features male and female vocals that at times dominate the song and other times are silent, allowing the other instruments a chance to shine. Finally the last track, Return to Outremer, is a throw back to Irfan's first release.

Recommended Tracks:

- Invocatio II

- Hagia Sophia

- Los Ojos de la Mora

- Star of the Winds (Khaukab al Hawwa)

Similar Artists:

- Love Is Colder Than Death

- Mediaeval Baebes

- Das Zeichen

- Loreena McKennitt

- Moon Far Away

- Dead Can Dance

- Vas

In closing, if you love acoustic instruments and vocals, then I highly recommend you sample all of the tracks on this album. I've found that when I listen to Seraphim that I am so lost in the music that whatever my real-life problems are, they feel as though they are thousands of miles and hundreds of years away. I literally feel as though I am truly graced by the presence of angels.

Music is like color, everybody has their favorite. This is a sort of trance, tribal sound. The instruments seem authentic and not synthesized. I like both. They have pathos as well as the pulse. I am not sure where they are from. I suspect Eastern Europe. They hit both frequencies, soft and sensual as well as driving tribal in their version. One of my favs and I am off to explore their other album. I compare them to Lesiem and Qntal, but different. You know? Me either.

I checked this band out due to a Dead Can Dance comparison, DCD being one of my favorite bands. I don't really find the comparison all that apt, but this record is lovely and enjoyable in its own way. It's atmospheric and the neo-Turkish/Arabic/Persian rhythms are executed well. I'm not sure what language most of the lyrics are in, but the vocals-as-instrument aspect is done excellently. The voices have range and depth if not much heft. The instruments are arranged subtly and thoughtfully, the single-membrane drums not being overused like I've heard in a lot of Sufi-ish music but rather applied in a way that brings accent to the song. My one complaint is that there's not as much texture and variation as the talented musicians and chanteuse are clearly capable of. I would like to see this group explore some new directions and be a little more open to tempo changes, but I still enjoyed this CD quite a bit.

I listened to every sample before purchasing this album and was not disappointed. There is something ethereal and ancient in the melodies and one can hear the Bulgarian throat-singer influence briefly in one or two tracks. I felt transported to a space between worlds and a time between times with this album and have listened to it many times in the week I have owned it. There is a high Arabic, medieval-Renaissance feel to the selections. Every track is beautiful.

Listening to the first two sampled tracks on Amazon I thought this album was intriguing enough to buy. Then I heard the entire album amplified in my car on my system. Every track on this album is just so rich in classical world beats. I absolutely adore each vocalist and their gift. I truly love this band! Hopefully they tour some day over by my neck of the woods. I'm a very big Dead Can Dance and Vas fan so this was so refreshing.

I was recommended this band by Last.fm internet radio [...]. Check out my profile if you are wondering about this reviewers music taste to judge my words well [...]. I heard the song "Hagia Sophia" and immediately fell in love.I played it several times just after I encountered it, which is not a typical behavior for me, I am very picky about my music. Since then I was listening to this album on my iPod (at random!) for four days straight and it simply doesn't get boring, not at all! The melodies vary from hypnotic to ecstatic and the female vocals are really enchanting and energizing. They talk directly to your soul and make you feel the transcendence coming. You can listen to this album while reading a book (but I don't recommend listening to it while operating heavy machinery), it gives your mind a focus without disturbing your thoughts, so it flows with the Universe without friction. But don't get me wrong - those songs will also make your legs dance like mad! Highly recommended if you are in any altered state of consciousness, doesn't matter if you acquired it using internal methods (like meditation) or external help (like psychoactive substances). Totally awesome album!

This is the second offering from the Bulgarian band Irfan and it is quite an offering. Their first CD was a tough act to follow and this one does not disappoint. Not a single track disappoints on this CD making it hard to pick a favorite. The Amazon samplings give only a hint of the rich texture and fullness of the songs. It takes more that just a few seconds to appreciate what is really going on and the effort that went into the music. As the CD title "Seraphim" alludes, the music is expressive, spiritually energetic, and stirs the soul.

I heard a selection from this CD on the Echoes program, and had to purchase it ... I love the ethereal, other worldly, mid-eastern sounds. One can feel the deep spirituality in the music, and I wish they had included lyrics and translations.