Lesiem Mystic Spirit Voices CD

The 2001 debut of German electronic outfit Lesiem is much more dark and ominous than fans of Enigma and Deep Forest may expect, which only means that teenage goths and their moms may finally have something to agree on when it comes to picking music for long car rides. The Latin-singing male chorus can sound as frightening as Rammstein on an OMEN soundtrack one moment, and as transcendent as Handel's MESSIAH in the next, while Ferenc Snetberger wails on electric guitar in WALL-era Pink Floyd mode, and Alex "89" Wende provides the dance loops and orchestral thunder with his keyboard work.

One of the highlights of MYSTIC SPIRIT VOICES is "Fundamentum" with its crashing tympanis, strings, and chanting at its most ominous and dark. Electric guitar circles over the voices on the impassioned "Vivere," while "Ave Fortuna" ends the record with a more straightforward Gregorian chant. Moments of rock burble forth from the ceremonial reverence and fiery ancient imaginings; "Occultum" features a singer belting out English lyrics in 1980s hard-rock style; "Floreat" has a British voice narrating a tale of a time when "the world was shadows" over a heavy beat. This surprisingly dynamic recording proves that "spirit voices" come in all varieties.

Riding the chant-meets-electronica wave, Lesiem's Mystic Spirit Voices marries electronic percussion with the chanting of Benedictine monks, as Enigma and Dead Can Dance had successfully done years earlier. ~ Bradley Torreano

Riding the chant-meets-electronica wave a few years too late, Lesiem's Mystic Spirit Voices is a watered-down retread of an idea that wasn't meant to expand in the first place. Although both Enigma and Dead Can Dance have successfully married electronic percussion with the chanting of Benedictine monks, Lesiem stretches the concept beyond its usefulness and eventually just sounds like soothing waiting-room music more than an experiment in genre-clashing. The occasional vocal or instrumental part tries to liven up various tracks, but the sound is so uniform that it isn't enough to make an impression. Lulling and drifting despite the minor attempts to change things up, Mystic Spirit Voices is an easily avoidable album. ~ Bradley Torreano

Enigma meets Pink Floyd on this journey through mystic spirit voices. Born out of a male voice choir whose experience is based on a 50-year tradition, Lesiem soars across the heavens with their own brand of mystic-pop. Combining Gregorian chants with wor

Lesiem includes: Felix Lauschus, Diana Pabst, Ramesh Weeratunga, Lawrence Sihlabeni (vocals); Ferenc Snetberger (acoustic guitar); Jochen Gleichmann (flugelhorn); Alex "89" Wende (keyboards); Mac Pollak (bass).

Personnel: Ferenc Snetberger (acoustic guitar); Andrįs Keller (tenor saxophone); Jochen Gleichmann (flugelhorn).

NAPRA Review (07-08/02, p.68) - "...Ancient Gregorian chants sung by a highly skilled, trained, and disciplined male chorus...A soulful, mystic pop that soars across the heavens..."