Musk Ox: Musk Ox

Musk Ox is a one-man project from Ottawa, Ontario and this is his self-titled debut album. The album lies in the realm of ambient folk as there are no harsh sounds like screaming metal guitars, shrieking vocals or thumping beats. No, that is not what this music is all about. However, if you fancy soothing acoustic guitars and soft chanting choir-like vocals you would do well check out this CD. Nathanael Larochette plays classical and acoustic guitars, melodica, glockenspiel, recorder, wood flutes, grand piano, choirs and chants. The songs are very similar to each other so I will not describe each one, but I do not mean this in a negative way. With an album like this, I believe too much variation on the main theme could take away from what the artist is trying to accomplish. It is clear his intention was to make a peaceful, relaxing album filled with enchanting sounds and soft soothing textures and for that he succeeded very well. The melodica playing is worth mentioning as it adds a rich natural sound to these tracks. I should mention the cover art, a tranquil lake scene, is a perfect fit for the music found within.

I will say the album's first song, "Un Jardin au Bout du Monde" drew me in with its crisp nylon string guitars over a backdrop of nature sounds and rich soothing vocals. This song, like the entire album, carries a feeling of contemplative sadness that has the ability to really strike at your inner being. This music would be perfect for meditation or just something to chill out to after a hectic day that we all have had from time to time.

So if mellow acoustic music is what you seek, you really should check this out. This is not a genre that I am overly familiar with but I liked it quite fine and will surely listen to this again when the mood arises, and if any of this sounds intriguing, I suggest you will too.

Track Listing:
1. Un Jardin au Bout du Monde
2. Sur une Infine Route de Terre
3. Entre la Terre et le Ciel
4. Les Plus Beaux de nos Jours
5. Lullaby for Ghosts

Added: April 23rd 2009
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Artist's MySpace Page
Hits: 2189
Language: english

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