Various Artists — La Nuit De Fées

Prikosnovénie is a French based label who specializes in fairy and fantasy based music and La Nuit De Fées( The night of fairies) is a handy 16 track  introduction to what the label offers. The labels sound  is best described as  a mix of folk, light classical/ operatic, pop and cute electroinca with often harp and strings playing a prominent role along with soothing and dramatic female vocals. There’s nothing particularly dark or nasty going on here it’s just all rather pleasant, spirit lifting and beautiful- through that’s not to say it’s not with out it’s contrast and darker hues- it just never strays too far from the sun and warmth

The compilation starts off with one of the highlights and most instant tracks of the collection; Cécile Corbel’s Sans Faire Un Bruit with it’s tuneful and ethereal yet dense  mix of light classical tones meet warming electrionica pop grandeur with a mix of lush harp playing, strings and guitar, subtle electronics & Corbel’s French, beautiful and slightly sensual vocals . As the compilation progresses it keeps up a varied, lush often tuneful mix of tracks that users multiple languages and flits between light classical, folk, pop, playful dance music, light post-rock, electrioncia and light rhythmic world music.  A few other tracks that I rather enjoyed come in the form of; Flëur- M.R.F. More Black wings which links shadowy and lost yet tuneful acoustic guitar pickings with windswept and beautiful Russian female singing, string swoons and dramatics, and expressive 'in from the cold' piano roles, with  just a slight bobbing synth ‘n’ beat underlay. The fairy session’s Shot in the dark brings together emotionally charged piano balladry and breathy English female vocals that open up into rich and tuneful light post-rock meets piano plod.

A lush and beautiful collection of tracks that nicely illustrates the Prikosnovénie labels sound and identity. Sure it’s not for everyone and could be accused of been twee and little to0 nicey nicey, but I find it all rather refreshing, vibrate and spirit rising and life affirming when in the right mood.