Soriah with Ashkelon Sain “Eztica” CD

Enrique Ugalde aka Soriah with Ashkelon Sain return with their brand new journey entitled “Eztica”, their second album on Projekt, and follow-up to their phenomenal “Atlan” from 2009. “Eztica” unfolds with euphoric and high-spirited “Iix” freshly blending energizing tribal percussions with gothic-infused Ashkelon Sain’s guitars and Soriah’s highly suggestive vocals, with lyrics, same as on “Atlan”, in Aztec language of Nahuatl, all that backed by gorgeously floating grandeur washes. Absolutely magical, blissful and unique overture, amigos!!! Shorter “Ticochitlehua” dives straightly into deeper and mysterious primordial terrains with Soriah’s whispering voices. Title composition “Eztica” opens with heavenly drifts and wordless voice magic and prayers with native feel, later more explosive textures invade along with Soriah’s Tuvan throat-singing wizardry. Amazingly adventurous interactions of the ancient and the modern!!! Dark ritual “Nica Anahuatl” is finely enriched with choir-like sounds, various bells, percussions and deep organics. Bowed strings, flutes and expressive voices lead “Ehecatl”, another deeply evocative genius performance!!! Shorter “Chocatiuh” blends rainy sounds with ethereal guitars and bowed stringed instruments of Tuva. Strong Ashkelon Sain’s darkwave ingredients on “Ximehua” are masterfully melted with hypnotic tribal rhythms, voice magics and bowed strings to capture purely ecstatic goth/shamanic sonic experience!!! “Temicteopan” is the most exotically fragranced composition with significant fragile string magics and Soriah’s whispers, a deeply mysterious one, blending Aztec and Tuvan musical traditions!!! “Xiuhcoatl” is another energizing and rhythm-infused masterpiece with all Soriah’s and Ashkelon Sain’s trademarking ingredients, it showcases again highly effective interplay of grandiose vocal performance, dramatic percussions and imaginative atmospherics, definitely one of the most highlighting compositions on this ride!!! Deeply evocative instrumental “Omeyocan” blends echoed nostalgic strings with suggestive native flute work. Field recordings introduce “Amochantzinco”, where orchestrals are supported by hauntingly beautiful vocals, percussions, guitars, bowed strings and flutes, all uniquely melted in fresh palette of sounds and atmospheres, a truly majestic closer!!! The flow of this exotic sonic universe moves through many emotions to touch listeners deeply, “Eztica” is also more accessible due to its stronger darkwave approach when comparing to more mystically and ritually spiced “Atlan”. To me, “Eztica” most likely doesn’t top “Atlan”, but it gets very very close to it and it grows on me with each listening session. Fascinating, galvanizing and magical sonics effectively join the cultural roots of Aztec and Central Asia with the present, all that portrayed by stunningly eye-catching artwork, one of its kind sonic and visual adventure!!!

Richard Gürtler (Oct 16, 2011, Bratislava, Slovakia)

Soriah with Ashkelon Sain “Atlan” CD

The Mexican-American ritual performer, musician and trained Tuva throat singer Soriah aka Enrique Ugalde has teamed with recording artist, producer and composer Ashkelon Sain (Submarine Fleet, ex-Trance To The Sun) back in 2009 for this truly unique, exotic and adventurous journey. With three previous releases on Soriah’s credit, “Atlan” is by far of the giant caliber. This album masterfully bridges ancient and modern, various exotic stringed instruments from Tuva Republic (Southern Siberian part of Russia) are used, like igil, byzaanchy (both bowed) or doshpuluur, plus more traditional instruments or objects like shruti box, clay flute, bells, conch, whistle… plus synthesizers, electric guitar, drums… plus “creme de la creme” of this album, Soriah’s highly expressive and mesmerizing voice and Tuva throat singing, with lyrics in Aztec language of Nahuatl and two vocalizations are traditional Tuvan chants. Soriah’s voice is definitely another absolutely unique instrument on this album. “Atlan” opens mysteriously and stunningly with instrumental and buzzing stringed performance entitled “Yoallicuicatl”, great overture! Then follows “Cehui”, brilliantly merging electronics, tribals and Soriah’s voice magics into a composition that is, for me, one of many highlights and ultimate classic ready for Hall Of Fame induction!!! Muchas gracias, amigos!!! “Tonacayotica” is again dominated by Soriah’s voice, where raw vocals interfere with whispering ones, and gentle mid-paced tribal rhythms and relaxing trancey tempos, all together perfectly boiled and balanced. Shorter “Temictli Atlan” is painted with strings and washes. “Citlalpol” is another instrumental piece, based around solo performances on bowed stringed instruments, have no idea which of them exactly are used, however, they sound highly expressive. Later the texture becomes more layered and active. “Xopancuicatl” is the most active, but very light composition with tranquilly melodious tempos spiced by voice wizardry of Soriah. Truly mesmerizing efect due to amazingly collided warm atmospherics, crispy rhythms and raw voice, another top notch contribution elegantly blending the past and the future!!! Title track “Atlan” belongs to deeply mysterious and ritualistic compositions on the album showcasing the power and mastery of Soriah’s throat singing (one of the traditional Tuvan chants). A true shamanistic listening experience at its finest!!! But it all goes even beyond, “Morguul” is one of the highly active pieces where rhythms, melodies and voices create a truly unique blend that can be described as kind of “western tribal ritual ceremony”. Man, this is really unbelievable and absolutely phenomenal!!! And the end is not here yet… “Borbak” gets much deeper with tranquilly floating atmosonics, significant flutes and whistles and deeply evocative voices, another giant on this journey! Instrumental “Tona Atoyaatl”, that keeps on slower and darker route, with enormously imaginative crying bowed fiddle strings (igil or byzaanchy?), is as much graceful as its predecessor! And just the same can be said about the closing 12+ minutes hypnotizing opus “Amo Cahuit”, the darkest droning piece on this 76-minute long pure blissful sacred inner journey!!! Soriah and Ashkelon Sain are true shamans, with “Atlan” at the very top of their virtuosity. Even if sounding totally different with their own, distinctive soundscaping and voice, I think late Jorge Reyes would be really proud to hear and see these guys. Yes, if you have a chance to catch them live, don’t miss them, extraordinary lifetime sonic and visual experience guaranteed!!! Last but not least, new “Eztica” album is scheduled for release in October 2011 on Projekt. Now the question is how Soriah and Ashkelon Sain can top “Altan”…? I will tell you in few months. Until then once again, muchas gracias, Maestros, for taking me on this wonderfully rich, breathtaking and unforgettable sonic exploration!!!

Richard Gürtler (Sep 03, 2011, Bratislava, Slovakia)