SELIGPREISUNG

Popol Vuh's Seligpreisung is quite a unique album. I guess I'd say it mostly sounds more similar to their next album Einsjager en Siebenjager than to the previous Hosianna Mantra. It has both somewhat psychedelic "jams" (albeit very natural sounding, with no synths and without much aggression at all) and wonderfully composed melodies complementing each other perfectly. For me Florian Fricke's piano tends to stand out the most, it's constantly so lovely. The occasional oboe adds much beauty, as do the guitars (Conny Veit's solos tend to be understated yet awe inspiring). I get a sense of progression both within each song as each beatitude is being sung (many songs seem to start with just piano and oboe, which are slowly joined by guitars and percussion), and throughout the album, as if with each song the music was slowly ascending towards heaven. The only downside I can think of is that it's pretty short, about 30 minutes, but what a glorious 30 minutes. The bonus track Be In Love is quite lovely as well, with Djong Yun's beautiful voice and a violin, though I don't listen to it as often as I do to the proper album.

All in all, one of the most beautiful albums I've heard. Regardless of the lyrics I would call it a religious or spiritual piece of art, full of a benignant beauty that goes straight to the heart, a masterpiece, five stars.