The return of Ataraxia
Ataraxia returns, a band from Italy (Modena) with their twenty-ninth album ”Centauria”, on which they present their blend of neofolk and darkwave, characterized by research and consistency.
The ten tracks offered here (eight plus two bonus tracks in the CD version only) are tales sculpted in sound. Where the ethereal voice of Francesca Nicolò once again guides us through that ancestral universe inhabited by men, gods, and supernatural beings, of which Ataraxia holds the keys.
A new chapter of the book
We mentioned the twenty-ninth album, but it feels like another chapter of a book written in the collective unconscious that we can only open in dreams. The album features two parts: “Acqua Mater” and “Ignis Pater,” and it is the second part of a trilogy that began with the previous “Pomegranate” (2022).
The CD version unusually opens with one of the two bonus tracks: “The Source,” where, for the first time, we hear the uilleann pipes played by guest Gregorio Bellodi. We find ourselves in a magical place suspended between the ice and the land of myth, as suggested by the evocative music video.
The lyrics of Ataraxia
The lyrics once again see the collaboration of Mara Paltrinieri whose sonic narration perfectly complements the lyrics infused with arcane mysticism, thanks to the artistry of Vittorio Vandelli who alternates acoustic instruments with the electronic sounds of Giovanni Pagliari. A combination of sonic craftsmanship and avant-garde creates a sort of musical tapestry rich in precious details. Among the guest musicians, we find once again the cello of Totem Bara, a name familiar to the frequenters of the Ataraxia court.
The first part of “Centaurea”
In the first part of the album, named “Acqua Mater” as mentioned, we immediately appreciate “Aetas Aurea,” a solemn march with voices that seem to come from another world. Then, the delicacy of “Porselanea,” and especially the title track of the first part of the album, “Acqua Mater,” with its melody that comes from afar but seems to belong to us always.
The second section of “Centaurea”
The second section“Ignis Pater” is enriched with new influences, the magic of “Galen,” and the tribute to Mexico in “Veriditas,” highlighted by the images in the related music video more than by the sound. Indeed the second bonus track, named “Ignis Pater,” takes us to territories dear to Dead Can Dance, where the sacredness of the chant merges with a rhythm of ethnic flavor.
The closure
“Centauria” closes with two highly evocative tracks: “Of Snow And Sapphires,” a song with vague Renaissance colors, with delicate sounds like snow. And especially “Coelestis,” which is a pure alchemy of emotions.
Conceived on a remote Greek island, caressed by light winds, and bathed by the mythical sea, “Centaurea” is an album that is difficult to describe in words. In which poetic language resonates with the beauty of such a palette of sounds, songs, and dreams.
And we urgently need this beauty.
Line Up
- Francesca Nicoli - Vocals
- Vittorio Vandelli - Classical, acoustic and electric guitars; programming; timpani; back vocals
- Giovanni Pagliari - Keyboards; programming; back vocals
Tracklist
Part I – Aqua Mater
- The Source (Bonus Track) (feat. Gregorio Bellodi on uilleann pipes)
- Aetas Aurea
- Porselanae
- Nox Incubat (feat. Totem Bara on cello)
- Aqua Mater
Part II – Ignis Pater
- Galen (feat. Totem Bara on cello)
- Viriditas (feat. Totem Bara on cello)
- Ignis Pater (Bonus Track)
- Of Snow and Sapphires
- Coelestis