HONTZ GAUA

I have to agree with Hughes Chantraine's evaluation...as a fan of folk prog, I rate this album very highly. I was just listening to both Haizea albums the other day, and I enjoy the debut almost as much- I think it's a wonderful folk album on a par with Tangerine's De L'Autre Côté de la Forêt, another hidden gem from the 70s. But Haizea upped the complexity on this record and added some interesting percussion interludes as well. The female and male vocals are top quality, harmonizing beautifully, and the Basque folk feel adds a pleasant exoticism. Haizea also featured some of the nicest flute playing you'll ever hear on a prog record. The group shows itself to be as adept at longer conceptual pieces as it was at lighter, pastoral folk tunes. A beautiful Sunday morning record.