Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Tau Emerald - Travellers Two [Important Records - 2008]

Tau Emerald's debut album is a dense, dirgey, often improvised sounding darkening ritual of primeval folk forged by the female duo of Tara Burke (Fursaxa) and Sharron Kraus, It seesaws between great barren beauty and discordant/ doomy sentiments.

The album was recorded over a weeks period in Kraus  home studio, when not recording the pair communed with spirits while visiting burial mounds in the UK. Sonically this feels like a really bounding of both artists home countries with Tara Burke American heritage coming out in moments that hint of American Indian ritual vibe and Sharon Kraus English tones coming out in the hints towards Scottish or medieval type dirge’s. The pair build up an often dense and weaving walls of sound from acoustic guitars, tinkling   bells, chimes and vibes, flute discord, tense American Indian drumming, rain sticks, violin, accordion  and droning folk textures. The tracks flit between joint sweet and slightly creepy female vocal lit moments, to denser often ominous vocal-less sombre rituals.

As the album progresses it seems to darken and become more eerie, with at times being almost pagan horror bound. One particular chilling and beautiful later moment comes in the form of Marmaids call which links together nightmarish strummed discordant horror film piano strings, creeped out  siren vocal calls, with brighter yet still sligty sinister accordion swaying vocal harmonies.

This is the first work I’ve heard from either of these highly talented female artist and it’s really made me very egger to hear more. An album of  great beauty, dark earthiness and sombre wonder- So step inside the circle the ritual  is about to begin.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Roger Batty
Latest Reviews

Tau Emerald - Travellers Two
Tau Emerald's debut album is a dense, dirgey, often improvised sounding darkening ritual of primeval folk forged by the female duo of Tara Burke (F...
180925   Maskhead - Maskhead(Blu Ray)
170925   The Home - The Home( Blu Ray)
170925   Derelict - Derelict( Blu Ray/...
170925   DAYOFWRATH - And The World W...
170925   Applez91 - Hydrostatic Kill P...
170925   Lord Cernunnos - Memories Of ...
160925   Bloody Legend: The Complete T...
150925   Creepshow 2 - Creepshow 2(VOD)
150925   múm - History of Silence
150925   Various Artists - Disk Musik:...
Latest Articles

Third Window Films - A Label For ...
Formed in 2005, London-based Third Window Films has been one of the key film labels releasing Asian cinema in the West. Their catalogue touches down in a lot...
030925   Third Window Films - A Label ...
130825   HNW fest- Barcelona- 12th Apr...
250725   Raté interview - Walled-in F...
180625   Matthew Holmes - Of razor-sha...
280525   The Residents - Visits From T...
090525   Ennaytch - Of walls, abused ...
150425   Dead, Dead Swans interview - ...
110325   Sebastian Tomb - Walls of unb...
040225   Alien Sex Fiend - Possessed B...
231224   Best Of 2024 - Music, Sound &...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2025. Twenty four years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom