With Understanding Comes Appreciation
For the sake of new comers, first things first. Of the many legendary artists to emerge from the Krautrock movement, few anticipated the rise of modern electronic music with the same prescience as Popol Vuh —they were the first German band to employ a Moog synthesizer and their work not only anticipated the emergence of ambient, but also proved pioneering in its absorption of worldbeat textures. At much the same time Popol Vuh was formed in Munich in 1969, another group of Norwegian descent adopted the same name, an endless source of confusion in the years to follow; both were inspired by the holy book of Guatemala's Quiche Indians, and according to Mayan researchers, the title roughly translates as "meeting place." Keyboardist Florian Fricke was deeply immersed in Mayan mythology at the time he formed the group with synth player Frank Fiedler and percussionist Holger Trulzsch, and his interests were reflected in the spiritual themes of their 1970 debut, Affenstunde.
A sumptuous, pastoral, mystical album that pursues on the way launched by the seminal "Einsjäger & Siebenjäger." Popol Vuh are at the summit of their career. The atmosphere is totally fascinating, perfectly controlled emotionally with very pleasant, spiritual moments. We are fare from their two first challenged "ethnic" electronic, meditative works and really more into guitars, piano and female vocals combination. The vocal melodies of the soprano Djon Yun are especially beautiful and ethereal. Daniel Fichelscher's dreamy and clean guitar playing is pretty effective and well accompanied by the serenity of Florian Fricke's piano playing. Next to the massive "Hosianna Mantra," "Seligpreisung" and "Einsjäger & Siebenjäger" this one is the fourth classic album offered by the band. I'm not sure why I like the cover so much, a country setting with trees and sheep in a field with the sky showing above. This picture gives a clue as to what kind of music is offered here. A pastoral, gentle and beautful work that is reflective as well.
As Florian Fricke moved away from an early synthesizer-centered sound and embraced organic instrumentation in his quest to fuse Eastern and Western musical and spiritual traditions, Popol Vuh's rock orientation became more pronounced. That aspect derived largely from the contributions of electric guitarists Conny Veit (on Hosianna Mantra and Seligpreisung) and Daniel Fichelscher (on Seligpreisung, Einsjäger & Siebenjäger, and Das Hohelied Salomos). Letzte Tage - Letzte Nächte is the band's boldest foray into rock territory. On "Das Hohelied Salomos," Fichelscher's guitar often eclipsed Fricke's piano; here, his presence is even more emphatic. That's not to say that the band has lost its equilibrium —this is another classic Popol Vuh exercise in balancing and reconciling apparent opposites.
An opening pair of instrumentals sets the tone. Buoyed by hard-driving percussion, on Der Große Krieger Fichelscher combines muscular riffage with a lightness of touch as he unleashes streams of soaring notes; Oh Wie Nah Ist der Weg Hinab builds on an ominous Floydian groove before lilting, interwoven guitar lines lift the song to its conclusion. Elsewhere, vocals play a key role in the dynamics: pounding drums and thick layers of bluesy guitar provide a heavy foundation on Dort Ist der Weg, while the ethereal voices of Djong Yun and Renate Knaup add an expansive dimension. Their vocals also contribute a pastoral feel, especially on the folky title track and on meditative numbers like the guitar and piano mantra Haram Dei Raram Dei Haram Dei Ra and Kyrie, on which Fricke's arpeggios blend with Ted de Jong's tamboura and Alois Gromer's sitar.