SEN EN MUT

Since 2004 when the Senmuth project started, we have had a lot of albums about Egyptian deities and pharaoh's. Now finally we have an album entitled to SEN-EN-MUT, somebody who lived during the 18th dinasty and of whom Senmuth is just a different transcription from hieroglyphics. So before going directly to the review let me take the opportunity to tell you something about this name:

He was an architect and an officer. Valery Av is a designer and choosing the name of an ancient architect makes sense. Also, because of his deep involvement into ancient Egypt it's possible that Valery is or thinks to be his reincarnation. It's nice that this name is made of two hieroglyphics which literally mean "Mother's Brother".... Uncle in one word.

Reading his story other names which appeared during the years on Senmuth's albums acquire a sense: one for all Hatshepsut, the fifth pharaoh of the 18th dinasty. Sen-en-mut was her "steward". Basing on those information I was expecting quit much from this "self- biographic" album.

Let's go straight to it now:

"TT 353" is one of the two monuments whose excavation was managed and directed by Sen-en-mut. Even using the usual sounds and percussion Senmuth is able to give the idea of "works-in-progress". The music is dark as usual but the electronics behind it which provide an ambient soundscape without any melody are better than usual.

Probably very few of us (including myself before this album) know what Djeser-Djeseru is, but everybody has seen at least a photo shoot of this incredible temple excavated in the sandstone and dedicated to Hatshepsut. The track has a nice start with a sound similar to a harp and percussion, then after about three minutes it starts developing. It's still the same stuff of the majority of Senmuth's albums, but it's surely better than the previous "Monument 6" that I haven't liked at all.

"Red And Black Astronomical Graffiti" is a dark ambient track based on traditional string instruments, something like a harp. Not bad. About the graffiti, I've found something related to the Maya, not to Egypt, but both the peoples were keen with pyramids, isn't it?

Now a very dark one: "Ritualistic Scribe Who Knows The Secret" is a powerful title (it should be "knows" but it's ok). I like when the dark ambient of Senmuth becomes darker. One of my favorite albums of this artist is the one about the death and resurrection of Osiris and his path to the resurrection. This is the kind of tracks which are dreamlike and hypnotic.

The following track is "Honor the Memory of the Deceased". Remember that we are speaking of an architect building temples, pyramids and monuments in the ancient Egypt where the cult of the deads was particularly important. Of course also this one is very dark but from a so strong title I would have expected something more. A sort of trumpet shows some skill (I think it can be programmed), but it's just a pool of programmed percussion with some keyboard (including false trumpet or similar instruments). There are hints of techno and industrial which could make it suitable for remixes.

"Architecture of a Million Years" is full of orchestral accents. It's a sort of symphonic metal, I don't know how to call it. a good track for me.

"The Funerary Texts Of Dead Love" is one of the darkest possible titles. It seems that she survived to Sen-En-Mut as one item found in her tomb was taken from Se-En-Mut tomb. Dark and percussive with a background keyboard's layer on which an acoustic guitar adds some notes close to the end of the treck.

"Behind A False Door" gives the idea of a treasure haunting and contains the only true guitar solos of the album plus some distorted guitar other than the usual percussion.

Still very happy...."Postumous Lullaby For Neferure" is unusually sad. Neferure was Hatshepsut's child. The music is dark and sweet at the same time. Listen to it keeping in mind the title. It's the closer track of an averagely good album.