POPOL VUH

Some parts in music character at which Florian Fricke aimed. Especially, music that drew the flow of the search for some unknown areas and the directionality at which the band had aimed might have been expressed if it thought about an essential part.

The creativity of Florian Fricke that had both a superior capability might have been expressed in the field of classics as opening the creation since time when Popol Vuh debuted before the activity as Popol Vuh. The change in the music character and getting rid of from an electronic element in "Hosianna Mantra" meant the flow and establishment that expanded the width of the band enough from the debut in the activity in the especially 70's.

Methodology of expression of music mainly composed of acoustic as band. Element of various music added to it. And, it is necessary to have developed an original methodology by doing the part of ethnical and the construction of the sound. Getting rid of the electronic element selected as a flow of the music character was a method of the expression by uniting an exactly mental part for the band and a mysterious part. The album that concretely showed it will have been "Hosianna Mantra".

A consistent flow doing might have been development natural as development from an electronic part emphasized the culture of the Orient and the West and the music characters by them while assuming an acoustic part to be a subject. And, it is impressive of the admiration that flows incessantly as a theme added to opening a mental element that continues from "Hosianna Mantra". Or, it suggests a variety of and the theme of the Bible is introduced including the mystery. Those parts might be being succeeded also by this album. A mystery part including the impression of the Old Testament is expressed as for this album. However, it might be also true to conceive some senses of relief compared with a past work. As for this album that gives the extension of the width of the sound and the expression to the construction of a consistent flow, a kind of light is included. Especially, the song of Djong Yun that listens in this album might have a certain kind of sense of relief. Flow to which psychedelic and mysterious element are taken while following construction of done consistent music character. And, the solemnity and the sense of relief cohabit. These are satisfactorily demonstrated with this album.

"Steh Auf,Zieh Mich Dir Nach" is a melody with the part of a complete solemnity. Melody that is reminiscent of music of the Orient where the atmosphere is continued. Part of rhythm and guitar that repeats four rhythms and five rhythms. Part of decoration with metallic cymbals. The song of Djong Yun might be a symbol of Popol Vuh at this time. Transparent feeling of guitar that appears after it shifts to rhythm of shuffle. The guitar of Daniel Fichelscher consistently constructs a good flow.

"Schonste Der Weiber" continues atmosphere with the arpeggio and the expression of feelings of a beautiful guitar. Beautiful chorus in close relation to consistent expression of feelings. Part of obbligati of guitar. These continue flowing. And, bright light by the transposition of Chord emphasizes the part of admiration further.

"In Den Nachten Auf Den Gassen" is a chorus and progress of perfect piano Chord. A piano melody is decided to the flow with a mysterious composition.

"Du Sohn Davids 1" is a flow of the guitar in close relation to the chorus of quiet admiration. And, a piano melody that continues atmosphere. The performance creates one space exactly in union.

As for "In Den Nachten Auf Den Gassen 2", the element of a few psychedelic and Blues might be included in the melody with expression of feelings. The overall atmosphere of this album continues. It succeeds in the content of the impression of the solemnity Chord is transposed in the tune.

"Der Winter Ist Vorbei" is a flow that is reminiscent of the music of India by guest's musician by the part of the sitar and Tabla. Sense of relief caused by chorus and guitar in close relation to the flow. Expression of sense of relief that adds element of various music to done consistent theme exactly. And, it is overwhelmingly a song of beautiful Djong Yun. The tune expresses complete ensemble and the mystery.

The progress of Chord that there is a transparent feeling in the sound of a beautiful guitar of 12 bowstrings pulls "Ja,Deine Liebe Ist Suber Ais Wein". Effective sense of relief caused by cymbals. How to take song that doesn't obstruct tune. The composition that puts the melody with expression of feelings on the flow of a few Folk and expresses it might be splendid.

In "Du Sohn Davids 2", the melody of a quiet flow and the sitar is features. Solemn and mystery part that flows consistently. Chorus of admiration. The element of a few Folk and psychedelic is taken and it turns up the volume gradually. The chorus tells the theme of this album.

The construction of a beautiful piano melody and the guitar progresses to "Tranke Mich Mit Deinen Kussen" attended with the element of psychedelic and Blues. The whole continues atmosphere as the part of Rock with power twining a little.

Part of mental on which they worked exactly. Flow that mystery part is emphasized. And, the construction of a certain kind of sense of relief and the theme might be especially expressed by this album.

"Cobra Verde" (Green Cobra) - soundtrack by Popol Vuh for great film by Werner Herzog about adventures of charysmatic Brazilian criminal and slavetrader in Africa. The album starts from catchy theme "Der Tod des Cobra Verde" - acoustic guitar, choral mantric singing - one of the best tracks by Popol Vuh. After that we are having short ambiental electronic music tracks from film. After many years Florian Fricke returned to electronic music and played synklavier. Track "Die singeden Madchen" is authentic singing by African girls without any additions to it (later the samples were used on the album by Popol Vuh "Shepherd's Symphony"). One long (9:32) and pleasant track recorded in 1991 - "Hab Mut..." - piano and choral singing. Verdict - not the best and most impressive, but quite interesting album by Popol Vuh.

— First review of this album —

Interesting collection prepared by Florian Fricke for American and world wide release on Milan label. Two new compostions - "Song of the High Mountains" in Oriental style and short ambiental track "Sweet Repose". Other compositions are from the albums "Coeur de Verre", "Seligpreisung", "Einsjager & Sebensjager" but with the titles in English. They are presenting "raga rock" period of Popol Vuh, i.o. rock with Oriental roots - instrumental tracks with repetitive mantric feelins and long epic compostion "Einsjäger & Siebenjäger" ("You Shouldn't Awake Your Beloved Before It Pleases Her ") with the vocals by Djong Yun. In company with the new young (for that time) member of Popol Vuh - Guido Hieronymus - Florian Fricke remixed old compostions, partly rerecorded them, added keyboards and bass parties. As a result familiar for old listener of Popol Vuh music sounds more tight and polished. If you like authentic sound of the 70s - "Sing, for the Song Drives Away the Wolves" wouldn't impress you. I'm the man of the 80s - so I like this collection.

This is the last Popol Vuh album... Partly recorded live and partly in studio. Live concert was a part of art exhibition in Italy - so probably music sounded more impressive live. Record would bring you mixed emotions. Popol Vuh here - only Florian Fricke on keyboards and two female voices. Maya Rose (you had heard her on "City Raga" album) and Guillermina De Germano. The album starts with beautiful and naive pop song "Deep in the Ocean of Love" with vocals by Maya Rose. After that - there would be long and short ambiental pieces. In "Strofas" Guillermina De Germano melancholically repeating verses like: "The Earth and me are unity...". It brings you coldness and feelings of presence in ancient temple. The longer ambiental compositions are more difficult. They are not bad at all, but Florian made the sound of the buzz of the bees integral part of this record. What could I say more... I think it is the album for the fans and collectors of Popol Vuh. It would be interesting for those listeners who very like "Affenstunde". Here Florian returned to ambient music and may be you could caught some moments on this record which impressed you on "Affenstunde". For me ambient of Messa sounds, well, a little bit heavy and the buzz is spoiling the music. One more thing - there's no bright moment, which hooks the listener, on the album. Tastes are differ - so try and may be you would be more grateful listener comparing with me.

In the 90s Florian Fricke tried to reinvent Popol Vuh and to turn music of his project into more understandble for the young listeners product. So he choose the model for the sound - popular in the 90s projects as Deep Forest, Enigma, Banco de Gaia, Peter Gabriel, Future Sound of London etc. - and recorded two albums ( "City Raga" and "Shepherd's Symphony") in the style close to those records. Comparing with "City Raga" this album is more developed and interesting. It's not prog rock at all - it is pop music with ethnic scent and ambiental feelings. Electronic rhythms, beats, loops and samples of ethnic singing.

So if you are stuck to prog rock epic guitar and keyboards solos, if you are listening not to the music but to the style, to the canons of it - simply it's not your album.

But if you are more open-minded listener and if you are like electronic and pop music in Deep Forest or Peter Gabriel influenced ethnic style - probably you would like "Shepherd's Symphony". Why not? It's still Popol Vuh album with positive driving energy and the developing of music themes. In time of the first listening I was wondering: "Is that Popol Vuh?". I was amazed. But after the second and the third times the music started to work for me, I felt that energy, and now it's one of my favourite albums by Popol Vuh. I frequently listening to it as to background music for creative work. I think that Florian Fricke was quite a strong person if he could start new phase of his career in the 90s with completely new concept of sound. For the first time this music appeared in the documentary "Kailash" which were filmed by the members of Popol Vuh - Florian Fricke and Frank Fiedler in this sacred place. Those who like "Cobra Verde" by Popol Vuh would hear samples of African girls singing from this album on the track "Dance of the menads". So relax, don't wait for the prog and give this album a chance - imagine fantasy Ancient world, Oriental or global village ladscape of the future - and welcome to the travel with Popol Vuh.

"City Raga" is the album from the last phase of Popol Vuh concept - it's electronic music, not prog rock. Florian Fricke wanted to do the record which would be intresting for his children - so the album sounds close to Deep Forest, Enigma, Banco de Gaia and many other popular projects from the 90s, which used samples of ethnic singing in their records. Electronic loops, samples of ethnic chants, sampled voice of singer Maya Rose... Is it Popol Vuh at all? Yes. The positive energy of Florian Fricke is present. Fricke said that the concept of this album is to describe "rhythmic, danceble way of life in our cities". Some tracks may seem repetitive club music, but listen to guitar by Daniel Fichelscher in "Morning Raga" (his last appearance in the band), listen to the very beautiful meditative track "Last Village" - and probably you would like this album (as me). It's not the best record by Popol Vuh, it's not prog rock at all, but please - give this album a chance.

This album was released in 1984, in fact all my other POPOL VUH records came out before this one.Good to see Conny Veit here on guitar as well as Renate Knaup on vocals.Another good recording from Florian although i did find this one less inspiring than most of his others that i own.Not a lot of variation in sound here. "Hand In Hand" opens with chanting only,no instruments until the percussion arrives before 2 minutes. "They Danced,They Laughed,As Of Old" is a Daniel Fichelscher composition,in fact the only song on here that Florian didn't create.This one's a top three for me.It sounds so good with the electric guitar playing over top. "Love,Life,Death" features percussion throughout. "The Christ Is Near" opens with Renate and percussion.The sound gets fuller before settling 2 minutes in with acoustic guitar;electric guitar then joins in. "Love-Love" is a top three with the guitars and percussion all sounding great. "Behold,The Drover Summonds" features Renate's high pitched vocal melodies as the music follows and builds.Piano and loud percussion are up next as Renate continues. "Agape-Agape" is the other top three tune.This sounds wonderful as Renate sings with the guitars,piano and percussion filling out the sound. "Why Do I Still Sleep" is the final and longest song at 8 minutes.Guitar and piano are played tastefully throughout. My release has a bonus track which is very dynamic and reveals why this album doesn't reach the heights of most of their earlier records.

This has been one of the most difficult POPOL VUH records for me to get into.I love Florian's spiritual music but this seems to take it too far for my tastes.The focus is on the choirs and vocals over the usually beautiful, pastoral instrumental work i'm used to hearing from this man.Renate Knaupe adds her vocals and we also get some guest sax from Chris Karrer.Hey when you include Daniel Fichelscher (guitar&drums) that's three former AMON DUUL members helping Florian out with this album.The choir by the way is from the Bavarian State Opera.Of course the album cover gives us a clue to what's inside with all these white robed people gathered around in a large circle out in a field somewhere.By the way this album was produced by none other then Klause Schulze which might explain in part why this one sounds so different from the other POPOL VUH records. "Wehe Khorazin" is all about the choir as a drum slowly beats.Then we get Renate's chanting with acoustic guitar and slowly beaten drums.I like this part. "Und Als ER Sah Es Geht Dem Ende Zu" is kind of haunting with those male vocals seemingly coming out of the darkness.It then gets calm before cymbals are banged about .Renate comes in around 3 1/2 minutes. A difficult listen. "Garten Der Gemeinschaft" opens with piano,acoustic guitar and light drums as the choir chants.Sax in this one.This song sounds really good. "Gemeinsam Assen Sie Das Brot" also opens with acoustic guitar,piano and light drums as Renate comes in vocally.It's building.Another good one. "Lass Los" is a blend of acoustic instruments and vocals (both the choir and Renate).I like it. "Gemeinsam Tranken Sie Den Wein" is more chanting with acoustic guitar. "...Als Lebten Die Engel Auf Erden" is the short closing track with no vocals and a fitting way to end it.This really recalls the music from Florian that i adore so much. I'm just not a big fan of the choral singing here.It's certainly an interesting listen but not worth 4 stars in my book.The best track is the bonus track which is more like what i'm used to hearing from Florian.

— First review of this album —

Let's face it, this wasn't the best way to approach the music of Popol Vuh: on a cheap audio cassette salvaged from the closed stacks of my local Rust Belt library system. But for an ardent World Cinema snob it was a chance to become reacquainted with some classic film music from one of the more compelling filmmakers alive: Werner Herzog.

I'm convinced Herzog (and his Neuer Deutsche Film compatriot Wim Wenders, a partisan of CAN and NICK CAVE) must own the coolest music library on Earth. And in Florian Fricke he found an obvious kindred spirit: another pilgrim on a romantic quest for what the filmmaker calls 'ecstatic truth': those moments of transcendental awareness beyond the normal threshold of our everyday senses.

Herzog likes to discover such moments in his visionary films, often shot under extreme duress: on the slopes of an erupting volcano; in the raging apocalypse of post-war Kuwait; and (more dangerous than any of the above) in five features starring the volatile Klaus Kinski (it's a miracle they never killed each other). Fricke, the guiding force behind Popol Vuh, found his own epiphany as a pioneer of evocative instrumental World Music, at a time when the tag meant something more than just a crass marketing niche (the young BRIAN ENO borrowed a similar aesthetic after beginning his post-pop career as an ambient soundsmith).

Together, the combination of imagery and music can take your breath away, especially when experienced as the artists intended: on a real movie screen, in the shared privacy of a darkened theatre (sorry kids: home entertainment can't deliver the same visceral impact).

Who can forget the indelible opening moments of 1972's "Aguirre: der Zorn Gottes", revealing a line of Spanish conquistadors descending the sheer cliffs of the Peruvian Andes into a fog-shrouded Amazon rainforest, with the heavenly moog-choir of Popol Vuh's "Lacrime Di Re" filling the soundtrack? Or the lonely demise of the bandit Cobra Verde, at the end of the 1987 film of the same name, tossed like spindrift in the unforgiving surf of the West African Slave Coast? Or the astonishing sight of that huge steamship (pre-CG, and not a model) being hauled over a rugged jungle hill in 1982's "Fitzcarraldo"?

There was always something overtly sacred in the music of Popol Vuh, to which (I admit) I never responded as an aspiring Krautrock fan, coming of age in the 1970s: too many sitars and not enough sequencers was my knee-jerk teenage reaction back then. But it's that same, undefined spiritual quality that keeps the music fresh after so many decades, and helps distinguish it from the shallow New Age mush to which it's sometimes compared.

I'm not the first to suggest this collection needs extended re-packaging: see Syzygy's typically literate review of the more inclusive but still too abbreviated 1989 CD edition. The music certainly stands up well enough on its own, and listening to this selection is the next best thing to seeing the films again. But this flimsy compilation can only leave a hungry listener craving more.

4.5 stars.This is probably POPOL VUH's most well known album, and my second favourite after the next one "Seligpreisung".I really feel that Conny Veit adds so much with his guitar playing on those two albums.I don't think Djong Yun sounds any better than she does on this album,her shining moment i guess you could say. "Ah!" opens with some beautiful piano melodies and then it calms right down 2 minutes in.Piano and a fuller sound returns before another calm arrives 3 1/2 minutes in.Piano is back to end it. "Kyrie" features electric guitar and piano early and the Djong comes in like an angel before a minute.It's so moving 1 1/2 minutes in until it settles at the 3 minute mark.Guitar is back before 4 minutes.Nice.The vocals are fantastic! "Hosianna Mantra" takes a while to get going and then the piano,guitar and vocals become prominant.Aboe after 3 minutes then guitar.This is gorgeous! Words do little to express the emotion and beauty right here.Just listen. "Abschied" is led by aboe on this another moving song. "Segnung" is mellow with vocals.A brighter sound with piano and guitar takes over before 4 minutes.Vocals return. "Andacht" is a very short guitar tune. "Nicht Hoch Im Himmel" features vocals and piano early.Her vocals are so dreamy.Guitar comes in after 3 minutes.It's so peaceful 5 1/2 minutes in. "Andacht" like the earlier tune of the same name is short with guitar.This one has some atmosphere to it. Simply a must have if you like spiritual contemplative music.