Blog Moving

Well, being the restless soul that I am, I think I've decided to move my blog over to Wordpress. No bad blood Google but you do make me nervous.

http://perhapsmusic.wordpress.com

So please update your RSS readers, bookmarks, brain cells, tattoos, stickers, and whatever other methods you use for keeping track of things.

If Wordpress irritates me too much, I'll more than likely be coming back here, unless of course I find a better substitute.

Magna Canta: Sanctuary

Artist: Magna Canta
Album: Sanctuary
Released: April 19th, 2005
Genre: New Age, Electronica, Trip-Hop, Crossover



Track Listing:

1. Russia - 4:06
2. Kyrie - 4:05 Song Sample
3. Pater Noster - 4:01
4. Sanctum Christe - 4:02
5. Credo - 4:07
6. Japan - 4:18
7. Lux Lucies - 3:44
8. In Excelsiss Deo - 4:43
9. Close To Heaven - 4:22
10. Celestia Organa - 4:07
11. Sequentia - 4:14

Grading: (Niche Weighted)
Listenability: A
Relistenability: A-
Listening Experience: A
Variation: B-
Overall: A-

Magna Canta really came out of left field in terms of the style of music that I normally listen to. In general I have fairly eclectic tastes when it comes to music, and I can listen to pretty much anything that I like the sound of. Magna Canta, is this interesting blend of techno/dance, Gregorian chants, and very smooth melodic lines. It is certainly what I would classify as a "chill out" album; it seems to fit this category so well I think I'll even classify that as a genre here. It is really quite difficult to find much information about the artists that are particularly involved with this group because they don't seem to have a proper webpage. They are designated under the Intentcity Records label which also produces the artist Lesiëm which I will more than likely be doing a review of in the future.

For those of you that grew up in the Catholic faith, the Gregorian chants might sound a bit familiar, but this record is probably something that would happen if you were having a rave party in a church. (I apologize to any fervent Catholics out there that might take offense to this, I don't intend such offense). What really drew to me to this particular style of music is that they did a crossover, they blended Gregorian chants (which I found quite nice) with a modern beat and great melodic lines which give a very calming overall experience. Like it says on the cover of the album, "Close your eyes and listen to Sanctuary" this is really something that one can do with this particular album. It is definitely an excellent candidate for one of those days when you just need to relax a bit (*shakes fist at economy*), damn office workers never refill the coffee machine when it's empty, why do they make the doors for right handed people, and so on.

I have a difficult time really picking out any particular favourite songs in this album because they are all equally a pleasure to listen to, although "Celestia Organa" is one that really grabs me. "Russia" and "Japan" also strike me more than some of the other tracks on this particular album.

The vocals are really the most striking this on this album to me, and oddly enough despite the more "classical" feel of those vocals they seem to blend together so nicely with the dance beat sort of backdrop they are put against. I guess it's one of those odd combinations that one would never think would work until they try it, and then it's like, woah hey I think I've got something here. Magna Canta certainly has something here, and while not everyone might be into this sort of genre, if you are pretty expansive and open about your music tastes, definitely give this album a listen.

Lack of updates.

Yes, I am still alive. Yes, I am still updating the blog. No, I'm not very consistent. (: I have a couple of albums in line that I'm planning to write up soon, so stay tuned for those. I really need to get in the habit of posting at least every other week, and at the very minimum monthly. This being said, I also wanted to open up the floor for anyone, even first time viewers, to feel free to send me requests for album reviews. Heard about an album? Want to know a bit about it? Send me an e-mail. Independent artists, want someone to plug your album? Send me an e-mail. One thing I definitely can respect is independent artists who are free from a lot of the corporate factory that squeezes out the same crap over and over again (cynical rant coming).

So look forward to some new bloggage, hopefully I can regain some motivation here.

Here's a snippet of one of the next albums I'll be reviewing, which is the album, "Sanctuary" by a band called Magna Canta. As it says on the album cover, "Gregorian Chants, electronica wizardry & mystical rhythms. Close your eyes... listen to Sanctuary." Good advice I think.