Agalloch - The White EP

Artists:Agalloch
Album: The White EP
Year: 2008
Genre:Ambient - folk, Neo-folk, Symphonic/Folk Metal
Bitrate:160 Kbps
Country:United States

Hailing from the misty forests of Portland Oregon, Agalloch has earned themselves a substantial cult following with their blend of atmospheric black metal that incorporates folk and ambient elements, producing several critically acclaimed albums and EPs over the last decade. The White EP continues on with the band’s distinguished tradition with a renewed emphasis on the neo-folk aspect of their sound, mostly relying on acoustic guitars, hushed vocals and atmospheric effects to get to black heart of this dark genre.

The White EP is essentially calls for a return to nature, as the songs conjure images of snow covered wilderness (”Birch White”), contemplative seclusion (”Isle of Summer”) and paganism’s worship of the elements (”Sowilo Rune”). The whole experience, made complete with natural sound effects like chirping and rustling, is meditative and comforting, conveying a deep and eternal connection with our natural surroundings. The delicate piano lines that grace the final two tracks carefully lead us out of the forest and into the cold twilight, confirming that Agalloch’s intentions give credence to emotional appeals rather than sheer volume. The White EP, steeped in mellow atmosphere and naturalistic overtones, vividly captures the haunting beauty of winter. While these songs never reach the chilling climaxes the band has conquered on their previous full lengths, they still manage to build on the folk traditions that make their sound seem so natural and unique. It will interesting to see where the new paths explored here will lead to on their next LP. Recommended.

Espers - Espers II

Artist: Espers
Album: Espers II
Year: 2006
Genre:psych folk
Bitrate:320 kbps (VBR)
Country:U.S






more on Wikipedia..

Myspace page

T
his philadephia sextet sounds like an english folk-rock group from the late 60'/early 70's. pentangle with shades of fairport convention come to mind. singer meg baird has a hauntingly fine voice that weaves through the forest of instruments on this album with subtle beauty. and there IS a forest of instruments here. many instruments that i have never heard of: like, the echo plex, the crumar toccata, the crumar performer, the univox mini-korg, the arp odyssey, the omnichord, the doumbeck, the dholak, singing bowls, and the crybaby. i have heard of the martin 6-string acoustic guitar, which is beautifully layered into the mix all throughout the recording. there is also cello, recorder, flute, sleigh bells, and gongs here. mojo magazine selected this as the 22nd best album of 2006 and who am i to argue. great album, indeed. (Amazon.com)

Your Hand In Mine - Every Night Dreams (Music For The Silent Film 'Yogoto No Yume' By Mikio Naruse)

Artist:Your Hand In Mine
Album: Every Night Dreams (Music For The Silent Film 'Yogoto No Yume' By Mikio Naruse)
Year: 2007
Genre:Folk, Experimental, Instrumental
Country:Greece

Your Hand In Mine" consists of two 24-year old students from Thessaloniki (Greece). Manos plays wurlitzer piano, melodica, toy piano, and does the programming, while George plays some guitar shaped toy synth, mandolin, glockenspiel hits random objects in his rythmic kit.

The project came out from members of the postrock band "Shortcat" in late 2006, giving them the opportunity to express their love to acoustic instruments, french folk songs and street musicians. With a constantly growing collection of custom, toy instruments and machines, "Your Hand In Mine" act as live-looping based duet, willing to present a new-romantic, deeply personal sense of chamber music.
Being strongly impatient, in January 2007, they release their first recordings in 100 totally handmade cd copies. The self titled EP, having references to modern west-european folk and experimentation, defines the band's aesthetic and identity.

MySpace
..an Interview (in Greek)

The Tallest Man on Earth -Shallow Graves(2008)

Artist:The Tallest Man on Earth
Album:Shallow Graves
Year: 2008
Genre: Folk
Country:Sweden

Matsson's melodies are remarkably pliant, and while it's understandable to be skeptical of another skinny dude with a mustache, a guitar, and a worn-out copy of

The Anthology of American Folk Music, the more time you invest in Shallow Graves, the more you'll realize how unusually memorable it is. Ultimately, Shallow Graves transcends comparison-- which is saying an awful lot, given the popularity of its prototype-- and Matsson is a natural-born folksinger, earnest, clever, and comforting. (From pitchforkmedia)




No it is not Bob Dylan!.

October Falls - Marras (Eight Hymns For Scheol And Nature)

Artist: October Falls
Album: Marras
Year: 2005
Country:Finland

Genre:Instrumental,Folk-Metal

Originally a solo project of M. Lehto.M. Lehto's project has been around for some time now and has so far produced one praiseworthy demo, _Tuoni_, which has just been re-released on the USA based Dark Horizon label. _Marras_ is what you might call the proper debut of October Falls: a richly textured and skillfully executed collection of entirely acoustic, folk-driven Finnish hymns to the pale Northern Nature. Dwelling comfortably in the German philosophical concept of "Naturmystik" and borrowing quite a lot from Empyrium's _Where at Night the Woodgrouse Plays_ and _Weiland_, October Falls nevertheless shows distinctive personality as well as good understanding of just how to create intimate and somber atmosphere. Utilizing acoustic guitars, cello, piano and flutes, Lehto has achieved an almost classic neo folk sound devoid of vocals. (His voice can only be heard in the shamanic chants that serve as interludes between the eight unnamed tracks.) A very good debut effort and a sign for even better things to come, or at least so I reckon. Worthy of your undivided attention, to be sure.(chroniclesofchaos.com)

Sad and flowing with melancholy, sophisticated yet minimalistic, this dark folk act from Finland offers their second album of autumnal wanderings and wonderings...Do not miss this dark sad and melancholic acoustic art that is Highly recommended for those with true artistic tastes!

Empyrium - 1)Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays 2)Songs Of Moors & Misty Fields

EMPYRIUM started as German symphonic folk/doom metal and later neofolk band founded in 1994 by Markus Stock (mostly using the pseudonym Ulf T. Schwadorf) and Andreas Bach, but later many other participated. Their first two albums, A Wintersunset and Songs of Moors and Misty Fields, following a demo entitled ...Der wie ein Blitz vom Himmel fiel..., can be considered doom metal (or, as some will argue, folk metal) with folk and symphonic influences. They combine harsh and operatic male vocals, with deep slow guitar parts and atmospheric sounds.The following two albums, Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays and Weiland are acoustic, display a constantly heavier neofolk influence.

Artist: Empyrium
Album: Songs Of Moors & Misty Fields
Year: 1997
Genre:Symphonic metal,
Neofolk,Neo-classical

A GREAT GREAT ALBUM!!

In Songs Of Moors & Misty Fields EMPYRIUM combine the expectable metallic elements and synths with piano, acoustic guitars, flute and cello; however, none of this ever seems to have been just 'thrown in', something which bands who use this kind of enhancements to their metal are often (sometimes accurately, others needlessly) accused of. Everything fits here; everything has a purpose, and the musicianship found in this very doomy, yet majestic album is truly remarkable. The deep, clean vocals found in Songs Of Moors & Misty Fields may not be everyone's favourite style, but they suit the music so well that it just doesn't matter. These clean vox are quite varied too, and both deep spoken and various kinds of chanted parts are to be found, as well as several blackened vox sections. Extremely moody and superbly executed.

Artist: Empyrium
Album: Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays
Year: 1999
Genre:Ambient,Symphonic metal,
Neofolk,Neo-classical









Where at Night the Wood Grouse Plays is a melodic acoustic neo folk masterpiece. Give it a spin and you'll find yourself in a dark, misty German forest at night, encountering ghosts and dark, natural forces. It creates a wonderful atmosphere that encapsulates the listener, without being too intense. Infact it's simple melodies are rather calming and soothing, even though slightly chilling.EMPYRIUM have created an extraordinary album!!

Encomiast - Bathed In Sunlight

Artist: Encomiast
Album: Bathed In Sunlight
Year: 2008
Genre:Ambient,Drone,Post-Rock,Folk













from label:
"Bathed In Sunlight is the breatakingly beautiful new full length from the longrunning Denver drone ensemble Encomiast, featuring five lengthy tracks of instrumental bliss from Ross Hagen and company that bring together slowly drifting drones speckled with shifting layers of angelic female vocal harmonies, lilting Loveless-esque melodies, ominous ambience floating over simple hand drum rhythms, dramatic dark pop with strummed acoustic guitars and Ross' deep crooning vocals...and more of the ghostly flute playing that has always set Encomiast apart from the rest of the drone/ambient underground. Fans of Encomiast's previous releases are going to be surprised when they hear songs like "Laughter In The Storm" , whose droning psychedelic folk is unlike anything that Ross has done before, a thoroughly entracing combination of droning electronics and brooding acoustic strum. And then there's the stunning finale "Evergreen", opening with gently acoustic guitar swimming in delay before a gorgeous female voice enters under a slight veil of distortion, like she's singing from the other end of a long distance phone call, the distortion then lifting revealing her voice in perfect clarity. A simple but perfect effect. The melody in this song is likewise simple but perfect, a melancholy hook that is gradually joined by drums and electronic drones as the song evolves, turning into a amazing piece of dreamy ambient post-rock pop. Fans of Encomiast's previous droneworks and the kind of evocative ambient rock that Temporary Residence is known for will LOVE Bathed In Sunlight, which travels the luminescent ley lines between ambient dronescapes, folk music, and post-rock."

Odawas - Raven And The White Night

Artist: Odawas
Album: Raven And The White Night
Year: 2007
Genre:Ambient-folk,Experimental, Indie Rock

Following convention has never been a great concern for Odawas. Yes, there are parts of Raven and the White Night, their follow-up to 2005's Aether Eater, that border on verses and choruses, but generally the members of the band are more focused on and interested in arranging their various keyboards, guitars, and percussion (and the accompanying effects) into melancholy, distant songs that wander about like somnambulists: not directionless or lost, but without a clear idea of exactly where they're going. To create this feeling of gauziness, some of the pieces, like "Love Is... (The Only Weapon with Which I Got to Fight)," use elements of electronica -- drum machines and sampled voices -- amid the acoustic instrumentation, and sometimes, "Barnacles and Rustic Dreams," for example, there's even a rocky, distorted electric guitar section, but more frequently Odawas opt to keep things quiet, restrained, steel strings and gentle synthesized violins guiding everything warily along, forebodingly. Because there's still a great amount of tension in Raven and the White Night, despite the seeming calm that envelops it, a darkness underlying the swelling keys and airy arpeggios. "Getting to Another Plane" alludes to both Ennio Morricone and suicide, and the Neil Young-esque tonality of Michael Tapscott's voice in "Ice" slides nicely along with the wah-wah guitar whole notes and sullen harmonica like he's falling into partially frozen lake. Tapscott's lyrics aren't fantastic -- they vary between trying too hard and not trying at all, without seeming to ever find that hallowed middle ground -- but Odawas isn't about its words, anyway; it's about textures and layers and feeling, which is exactly what it's best at, and exactly what the album provides, a hauntingly beautiful psychedelic folk-inspired trip into memory and dreams and the other dangerous things that lead us around in our sleep. ~ Marisa Brown, All Music Guide

Tri Yann - Le Meilleur De Tri Yann

Artist: Tri Yann
Album: Le Melleur De Tri Yann
Genre: folk - celtic music













The Tri Yann are one French band that was created in 1971 from the musicians Jean Chocun, Jean-Paul Corbineau and Jean-Louis Jossic and accomplished makes fashion in France the Celtic Music! Their instrumentations are very pioneering combining consummately yesterday with today!

Oι Tri Yann είναι μια Γαλλική Μπάντα που δημιουργήθηκε το 1971 από τους μουσικούς
Jean Chocun, Jean-Paul Corbineau and Jean-Louis Jossic κ' κατάφερε να κάνει μόδα
στη Γαλλία την Κέλτικη Μουσική!
Οι ενορχηστρώσεις τους είναι πολύ πρωτοποριακές συνδυάζοντας αριστοτεχνικά το χτές
με το σήμερα!

1. Prisons Of Nante
2. The Sun Is Black
3. Girls Of the Forging mills (Pile Small)
4. Princes That in Hands Hold
5. Gallaise lament
6. Kiss The Children For Me Mary
7. Lament De Yuna Madalen
8. The City Which I have So much Aimee
9. Pelot Of hennebont
10. If Dead A Bit
11. The Fox
12. Kan Peoc' H
13. The Discovery Or ignorance
14. Gwerz Jorj Courteous
15. Concealed De Guingamp
16. Reality Of Louis Marie
17. The Girls De Redon
18. The Strange Marriage Of Marie the Breton one
19. Already Badly Married
20. The Mare De Michao