A month ago, I talked to the beautiful and talented Alessandra Santovito (a celebrity crush of mine LOL). She was one of a duo with Roberto Del Vecchio, Gothica; they composed dark ambient music. So, when we talked, she told me about her current project, another duo with Francesco Forgione, called Hexperos. She sent me a link to their Youtube page, and I was enraptured with what I heard, so I bought their first album, "The Garden of the Hesperides."
The entire album, taken in as a whole, is gorgeous and relaxing. I'm hypnotized and lulled when I hear it. The same is true for Gothica's work, so I wasn't too surprised. It's great make-out music for the true goth types (emo doesn't count).
Track-wise, the crown jewel of this album, in my opinion, is "The Warm Whisper of the Wind." Darkly ominous, stirring, and beautiful. I could imagine music like this being played during a windstorm or rainstorm. Towards the end, the listener is treated to vocalizations that are both ethereal and funereal.
"Rime Glitters in the Sun" is very wintry, and not just because of the title. The best way to describe it would say that her exquisite, melancholic, angelic singing is wrapped in a layer of ice crystals.
"Artemisia" is just beautiful and foreboding, and would fit great in a movie.
Both tracks 4 and 8, "The Magnificence of the Night" and "The Call of the Ibis" respectively, are touch of a folk style, reminiscient of Dead Can Dance's prominent works. "Ibis," however, has more of the desert flare. Tracks 9 and 10 go on in that similar vein, but brings the listener back to the more classical, operatic style with the arrival of 11, "Nana."
In short, if you like somber mood music, get this album. If you like to passionately kiss in candlelight, get this album. Hell, get this album because I said so!
