Sonne Hagal are no doubt the most experimental-minded German neofolk band, and this quality is displayed on the first track
"To The Muses". Oliver's acoustic guitar and vocals weave in and out of a drawn-out ambient soundscape created by a droning,
rumbling bass, swathes of keyboards and Matt's swirling, soaring violin.
The flip side features "The Horse With No Name", a song that I had already heard live some time ago. Its structure is a bit
more conventional as it is based around the acoustic guitar and the violin with a restrained, exploding bass that is
reminiscent of the best Sol Invictus. This gripping song is enhanced by Ian Read's inspired interpretation of this tragic
traditional-sounding saga penned by Oliver. A neofolk classic in the making...
The alchemy between the different artists works perfectly and the resulting songs are both very good. What more can you ask
from a single?
Ian C.
Contacts:
Spring 2005
Sonne Hagal : www.sonnehagal.de
Eis& Licht : www.eislicht.de