Genre: Neoclassical / Heavenly Voice

The Moon and the Nightspirit have released their debut album “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” after a year of intensive song writing and rehearsal. “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” follows the bands promotional EP recorded in 2004 for Equilibrium Music of Portugal. Having impressed the crew at Equilibrium Music this Hungarian duo was invited to record their first full length album.

The Moon and the Nightspirit consists of Agnes Toth (vocals, violin, woodwinds, piano) and Mihaly Szabo (acoustic guitar, bass, woodwinds) with gust musician Bagor Vegh (percussions). Utilizing a modest selection of acoustic instrumentation these three highly skilled musicians create a delicate blend of classical and folk inspired music that transports the listener to realms of fable and mysticism. Drawing upon pagan tales and Hungarian folk stories The Moon and the Nightspirit seek to renew and revitalize tales once told and ways of wisdom once known but now forgotten by many.

The music on “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” is a highly crafted blend of acoustic and classical instrumentation that is nearly devoid of electronic corruption. The Moon and the Nightspirit deliver introspective songs filled with romanticism, mysticism, and beauty. The strings sing, the guitars glisten and the percussion is rousing. Each song illustrates mature musicianship and a sensual sensibility that allows the music to embrace the listener’s heart and spirit in totality. The lyrics express a desire to invite the listener into the shrouded and lonely worlds that the musicians have journeyed through during their own personal quests for spirit and truth. The songs of The Moon and the Nightspirit strive to bridge our collective past and our lost beliefs which now threaten to slip into obscurity.

“Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” begins with the introductory song “Egi Taltos.” “Egi Taltos” is one of only two songs delivered in the bands native Hungarian tongue. “Egi Taltos” begins with gentle waves of sound that are quickly overtaken by acoustic guitar and woodwinds. Just as the listener becomes absorbed in the warmth of the woodwinds and guitar, pulsing acoustic percussion joins the guitar and woodwinds contributing a strong ethnic feeling to the composition. The song winds its way skyward like tendrils of smoke rising from an outdoor fire. Agnes Toth’s voice joins the music like an ancient priestess calling forth over the instrumentation. Her voice is pristine and flawless as she sings with the utmost control as her voice flows like water without obstruction or force. Agnes’s voice entwines the instrumentation leading the song forward yet she also retreats at times allowing the musician’s their own moments to flush out the song instrumentally. “Egi Taltos” is a rapturous offering akin to Lorena McKenna’s work though The Moon and the Nightspirit communicate a more authentic feeling than McKenna ever achieved.

Track number four titled “Secret Path” offers the listener a more delicate and restrained approach to The Moon and the Night Spirit. The composition begins tentatively with acoustic guitar and violin. The violin and guitar court one another in a graceful dance that ensnares the listener in the interplay between the instruments. Akin to following the music drifting from a gypsy caravan in some remote landscape the listener is seduced both mentally and emotionally by the interaction of instruments. Once again acoustic percussion joins the song lending an ethnic feel to the music and imbuing it with rhythm. Agnes descends upon the song ever so gently with her angelic voice reciting a tale all too familiar to those who have wandered the forests and natural places of this earth seeking truth and wisdom. Agnes sings of turning away from the towns and cities that hold so many people in favor of returning to the forgotten path found in the heart of the woods. The violin and guitar support her voice once again adding passion to the song and communicating a longing for things lost and forgotten.

“Pagan” is the eighth track on “Of Dreams Forgotten and Fables Untold” and continues the theme of returning to the natural world that man has abandoned in favor of material gains. “Pagan” starts off on a rather festive note with violin, guitar and percussion working together to create an upbeat and driving atmosphere. The violin dances about the composition like a sprite dancing in the moonlight as Agnes sings unto the old gods and the unseen guardians asking for a return to remote times and enchanted lands. The music weaves between moments of energetic surges and more subtle moments that allow for Agnes’s voice to remain prominent while singing. The musicians do a good job of weaving instruments and voice into a rich tapestry that allows both Agnes’s voice and the instrumentation to be appreciated by the listener.

The Moon and the Nightspirit is a lovely addition to the neoclassical music genre. The band reliance upon pagan myth and their vision of a return to ancient times and beliefs brings the ideological enchantment found so often in the neofolk genre into the realm of neoclassical music. The strong ethnic influences in the music of The Moon and the Nightspirit are also quite refreshing. The melding of neoclassical instrumentation and ethnic percussion makes for enchanting songs that distinguishes the music of The Moon and the Nightspirit much like the Italian influences in Ataraxia distinguish the music of Ataraxia amidst their peers. Fans of neoclassical and heavenly voice music should take note of The Moon and the Nightspirit as they will certainly be impacting the genre with this release. Music lovers who like to be transported away into realms enchantment, myth, and wooded mysteries should also try out The Moon and the Nightspirit.