LUPERCALIA

Claudia sings like an angel with some combination of TB and an undiagnosed psychosis, and enough of Prencipe's other wonderful predilections surface here. These include powerful multifaceted pieces like "Tribe", "Sub Specie Aeternitatis", and the Celtic rouser "Pilgrim's Chant", and since I've been advised by an associate of superior eclectic taste that the reworkings of the "Mediestetica" demos, wisely disseminated here, are far better than the originals, I have no trouble scattering 3 stars of flower petals on this posthumous review.

First of all, a couple of surprises. No other vocals are present here. It often sounds like a choir is amping the drama but that is apparently synths, which are the other surprise. As CORDE OBLIQUE developed, electronics became more common, but certainly not in the phases that followed on from LUPERCALIA. Sometimes an artist needs to start fresh. The synths also simulate woodwinds, percussion and the myriad medieval instruments that might have been used on these ancient sounding tunes, only one of which, the brief "De todo mal" is actually traditional. Riccardo's guitar plays a much more limited role here but still gets plenty of use; it's the simulation of the sacred and secular sounds that dominates, with the blending of real strings helping to hold the ensemble upright.

This doesn't sound like a promising prospect but the result is more authentic in feel than one could have imagined, as well as lively, crisply played folk with symphonic enveloping on the wonderful numbers "Stil Composito" and "La Malinconia Di Schalken", that elevate the bombast almost to the level of say, IL CASTELLO DI ATLANTE. Other picks include the opulent opener "Il Coilchico Alfranto", which has an overture-ish feel, and the vivacious "Il Pianto Di Giuletto". More pastoral but still dynamic is the evocative "Notturno da Barca". "Normandia" even conjures the Andes to me, which doesn't make sense but I'm just going with it.

This is on the level of CORDE OBLIQUE's early work but more distinct than I expected, such is the breadth of prog folk. Still, I recommend it mostly for folkies who enjoy mellow but unboaring folk or world music acts.