Published by Davide Pappalardo on April 15, 2019
We already talked about Italian project Julinko more than two years ago, when we reviewed their album Sweet Demon. Now the duo of Giulia Parin (voice, guitar) and Carlo Veneziano (synth, drums) becomes a trio thanks to the arrival of the new member Francesco Cescato (bass) – giving a new dimension to their experimental brand of folk music with dark and post-rock undertones.
The result of this new formation is Nèktar, the third album of the band. Released by Italian label Toten Schwan on vinyl and by Czech label Stoned to Death Records on cassette, this work is characterized by the usual mystic and pagan aura, but with an even wider inspiration and a less controlled approach. There is something coming from the other side of human psyche, as if the ancient meaning of the world Nèktar, linked to the netherworld and transcendental magic, has found here a ritualistic expression.
Into the flowing stream plunge me deep is the short intro which welcomes us to the world of Nèktar, a sombre and distorted loop with melancholic elements; it collides with the first real track Deadly romance, graced by a heavy bass sound with corrosive undertones, underlined by obsessive rhythms and by Giulia’s voice. An eerie atmosphere is enriched by emotional crescendos and beautifully crafted motifs.
Leonard is a post-punk tinged affair with distorted sounds and seductive vocals, another emotional storm with crooning structures and sudden implosions. The various changes of peace give a narrative quality to the track, just like something coming to our mind from the past. Servo is the only track in Italian, a quite different affair from the rest of the album with a gentle classical guitar sound and inspired melodic vocals; it is inspired by Marco Santagata‘s Il Maestro dei Santi Pallidi, the history of a humble servant who teaches himself the secrets of Art, mastering it. In the second half, things get darker thanks to faster movements and broodier effects.
The woods, the wheel explores grinding post-rock sounds, starting with a throbbing synth and evolving with evoking guitars and strong drums. A marching movement guides us among mesmerizing vocals and slow soundscapes, reaching moments full of pathos and giving space during the final part to cathartic fury. The title track says us goodbye with vintage synth lines and grim bass sounds, building a perfect scenario for Giulia’s vocal delivery. The song has a classy structure, alternating galvanizing crescendos and controlled passages.
Nèktar is a strong effort showcasing a mature sound with a more cohesive and developed identity, giving form to a sound with personal and ritualistic elements, a voyage in the world of the dead, even the ones living in our hearts and minds, be them alive or not in the physical world. The trio has a strong identity, and at the same time an international sound which should conquer the minds, hearts, and ears of every fan of modern dark/post folk with harder elements.
Label: Toten Schwan
Rating: 8,5