Ulytau - Two Warriors

Title: Two Warriors
Artist: Ulytau
Genre: Folk / Rock
Release Date: 17th July 2009
Label: IMusic Records



Album Review

The roots of the project ULYTAU, which translates Big Mountain, date back to the year 2001 when producer Kydyrali Bolmanov conceived it to merge the orient and the occident in a musical way combing it with classical arrangements. ‘Two Warriors’ as it will be released soon in Germany was already out in 2006 under its original name ‘Jumyr-Kylysh’.

‘Adai’ opening the album sets a driving tone with hard-hitting drums and the rapidly-paced violin following thereafter before uniting with the impressing guitar and dombra to a stirring spectacle. ‘Winter’ also brings a plaintive theme of melancholy into the music. The classical theme employed in here is taken from Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons, Concerto No.4’, respectively and one can’t help admiring the grace of the violin and the technical perfection with which it’s played here. For me it puts anything else to the back seat. ‘Jumyr-Kylysh’; the actually title track of the album mixes pushing parts with dombra sections and mostly chopped rocking riffs with sort of reflective moments full of masterfully crafted classical melodies. With ‘Toccata and Fugue’ another great German composer’s work is used and this time it is Johann Sebastian Bach and even though I can never know that for sure I think he would be delighted to hear in which context his music was used in this case. The guitar and folkloristic accentuation go side by side with the classical motif the track has and add a contemporary twist to it.

I think that last sentence pretty much sums up the whole album in a good way and even me being not the greatest classical maniac you’ve ever seen enjoyed that fusion, so you might wanna go and check this out. It won’t be a waste of time!