VOLUME IV - ILLUMINATIONS

The frenchies of Catharsis back with an incredibly gorgeous album that is a monument of space rock. Illuminations is the most refined, meticulous and conceptual effort by the band and by far their best. It contains dark, lyrical, poetical, calm, dreamy-like musical journeys that are almost exclusively performed for a chamber ensemble. Acoustic instruments (percussions, flute...) dominate the content but there's also a priority for vintage organic / synth waves and fragile, distinctive female voices. The introduction track starts the melancholic "trip" with an unforgotten instrumental for acoustic percussions and ultra-introspective, ethereal organs, absolutely beautiful. "La mort des amants" is an other elegiac, celestial piece, played for acoustic guitars and lead by plaintive, meditative female vocals. An other astonishing, angelic piece! "Ballade des pendus" features a strange, delicate and moody atmosphere, including a large variety of percussive effects and dark synth strings. "En revenant de la noce" is a great variation of ancient dancing music. A melodic, floating album made with invention and devoted to the combination of neo-classical chamber prog music with psychedelic, visceral organic music. Essential!