An album which many neo-folk lovers have been waiting for… Forseti, the German act around Andreas Ritter, has built up a very good reputation in the last years. Nevertheless Forseti only had one release before “Windzeit”, the brilliant mini album “Jenzig”, which was released only on vinyl and rapidly sold out. Perhaps more people know the band from a few compilation appearances and even more from their energetic live performances. They already played twice at the Wave Gotik Treffen in Leipzig for example.
“Windzeit” contains 10 fine songs, with a warm and atmospheric mixture of acoustic guitars, energetic drums, accordeon, flute and strings and the pleasant voice of Andreas Ritter. Most songs are rather intimate and suited to listen to in front of an open fire. The mood of the poetic German lyrics is rather melancholic. In the first track already Ritter sings the line ‘Ich bin ein verlorener Mann’. It’s a very nice track, with fine strings and flute, uptempo percussion and a rather poppy melody.
Nature is an important theme in the music of Forseti, and on this album especially wind and storm, and darkness and light. This is reflected in the photos in the booklet. It’s a rather bleak landscape though, with dark clouds, giving you an autumn feel. This is also the theme of the next song ‘Welkes Blatt’: “Auch der schönste Sommer will / Einmal Herbst und Welke spüren / Halte, Blatt, geduldig still, / Wenn der Wind dich will entführen.” It’s a slow song, mostly lead by acoustic guitar and strings, and with a nice female second voice.
‘Sturmgeweiht’ is the most uptempo, cheerful song of the album, perhaps to celebrate the ‘Donner, Blitz und Ungeheuer’. Fast drumming and the warm accordeon sound make this song a feast to listen to. Then follow the sobering effects of ‘Letzter Traum’ and ‘Wind’, two rather slow intimate songs. But they both get more energetic towards the end, with nice staccato drumming in ‘Wind’.
The title track is one of the highlights, with lovely strings and a melancholic atmosphere, and sensitively sung by Andreas Ritter. ‘Herbstabend’ is an appropriate title for the next song, with piano, flute, strings and guitar, and a nice female second voice. A typical Forseti ballad. The melancholic mood is continued on ‘Einsamkeit’. On ‘Abendrot’, one of my favourite tracks, the sky clears up, with dynamic percussion and accordeon. This song really makes you move!
The last song features Douglas P. on vocals (and he wrote the lyrics too). After Andreas Ritter contributed on Death in June’s “All pigs must die”, now Douglas returns the favour. ‘Black Jena’ is a wonderful dark slow song. “This time the victim is desire / here in black Jena”.
Although ‘Windzeit” does not reach the energy and intensity of a Forseti concert, I think it is a very well succeeded and delicate album. The wind is blowing in the right direction!
A limited box will also be available, with “Windzeit” on vinyl, “Jenzig” on cd plus bonus material.
