Ataraxia – Suenos

It took me some years to appreciate the medieval music of Ataraxia. Especially the strong voice of singer Francesca Nicoli was something I had to get used to. Nowadays I like Ataraxia more and more, especially after I’ve seen them live a few times. This new album Suenos is in my opinion their best so far. It contains many good songs and the musicians have lots of opportunities to show their skills. Absolute highlight for me is the song ‘Saderaladon’, which does very well on medieval dancefloors! Overall the album is rather diverse, with various styles and instruments. It consists of three parts:
Part I: Ego Promitto Domino: songs about crusades, farewell and carousing songs.
Part II: L’Ame d’Eau: notes of water, of nostalgia and silence
Part III: Sandy Dunes: about the Orient and Mediterranean, solemn airs, marches and flamenco.
The first part sound most traditional and medieval and is rather uptempo. The second part is more intimate and calm. The final part has an exotic feel. Its last song, ‘Nemrut Dagi’, is a triumphant and worthy end of this album, that takes you on a journey through forgotten times and places…

artist: Ataraxia
label: Cruel Moon
details: 12 tracks