Merlin Nose Rec.
Jahrtal : Reprisen und Instrumentalstücke -cdr-(D,2009,re.2011)***°
Jahrtal reworked its previous demo (its previous version which I recommended before), it is now re-released on a limited edition black CDR. What I liked so much about it is that it slowly develops these instrumental pieces, first like short intros, then like half songs (for the first 9 tracks), this very much sounds like a naturally conceived collection of tracks as if they were developed like mantras of certain minutes of development during a whole morning. These first intro-like instrumentals are improvised pieces built from beautiful combinations of instruments with a sensibility for harmony, space and melody. Different from too free folk concepts, that often tend to fall apart in their elements, Jahrtal through these small pieces succeed in keeping their balanced melodic feeling with the harmony and sensitivity intact, which gives a balanced meditative feeling that remains awake and aware in what it is developing the whole time, with ear and full sensitivity, even though this is one stage before compositions with a full human/communicative context, a more ethereal description, like the dew of the morning and the developing sunlight in it. The first track is built from sitar-guitar, zither and guitar, the second track is with an organ drone and some fuzz guitar, with a lighter flute theme on top for an effective balance between dark and light, the fuzz not too dominant. The third track is with picking guitars and melancholic flute, somewhere has already a song inside but creates more something of a mood before that. The fifth track, with organ and fuzz guitar has reminiscence to the atmosphere that a group like Fit & Limo often created, here Jahrtal would be a perfect companion to. The sixth track with cello, banjo, zither has a slight, subtle medieval flavour. The track after that reveals instruments like harmonium and guitar and flute, the track after that sitar-guitar and flute and such. Then we have one longer track of over 10 minutes. All the mentioned instruments are used and adapted in it, with repetitive picking and some melodic feeling on top (flutes), and some harmonium drones. It still works for this length, but somehow one starts to expect a next level now this way too. It is as if the track/all the tracks are the perfect preparation for a mood, but the human encounter of a meeting point didn't happen in the end. Somehow for a mini-album this works better as a perfect mood builder, for an expandend version, the idea might become a little tiring despite the sensitive strength, the limitations become clear after a few repeated ideas and some of its charm could get lost this way. The next few tracks are built from hurdy-gurdy and flute, pickings and flute, birds, cello and flutes and bowed zither and such. The last instrumental's picking sensitivity has something baroque, which is special as well.
I love Jahrtal's talent, and the starting point of its sensible muse, I still hope it will find through song many more meeting points as well so that the knight will be able to find his castle, this is the road and path towards it, the landscape, the light, the circumstances towards it, not sure where it will find its mate and with it, the hidden story of life, the transcendent aspect of the fairy-tale expanding the potential brought over by its elements.
