MUNDI DOMINI

Sole album (so far) from a formation where women are the majority, Mundi Domini is another talented sextet from Montreal, but this time choosing progressive folk as their main vein. And you'd have a hard time believing they're from Quebec because they sound Frencher than most French groups, with their chamber rock laced with pastoral classical music, but even more with French folklore. With the flute sisters Couture (Ronald, des soeurs, des filles ou des cousines???), one of them also twiddling string instruments and being the second writer of the group, MD is an extraordinary lyrical music group, with their music being very descriptive of their moods, even more so when they don't sing.(less than half the tracks have lyrics proper). Although in majority feminine, the group is more centrered around Lonergan (the main songwriter) and his piano and Doyon and his ever-present accordion.

After the presentative Summus Mundi Domini (we are Mundi Domini), a very beautiful piano-led track with Gregorian chants soon giving way to the accordion, dominating the rest of the extended track, although flute and piano do make comebacks here and there. Petit train follows the same path but finds some Indian curves around the Himalaya, courtesy of Odrée's sitar, You'd have expected the next track Siddharta would also lead in the same direction, but here we are in a chamber rock ala Maneige and Miriodor.

The real vocals come with La Fille Du Bucher (bonfire girl), which delves deep in the French folklore and touches some medieval chords, going as far as Cathars or the Inquisition. After a short instrumental Indian-laced interlude named Amen, the mood returns to French folklore, between cabaret music and trad folk with Linda Fille De Joie. Clearly these French folk influences are Odrée Couture, and while she plays some sitar, the more world or ethnic influences appear to be from Lonergan, who comes back with two tracks pf the same fabric as the debut of the album, and Odrée closes with a superslow Complainte Des Non-vivants, which agains leans of French folk.

While not really essential to Prog Folk or Quebecois Prog, Mundi Domini (Master Of A World)'s sole album is definitely worth the discovery, especially if you are looking for quiet reflective music.