This album, the first from Hungary’s Ultramarin, features eleven tracks that combine ancient folk melodies with a modern pulsing groove. The songs are time-honored Magyar/Gypsy folktunes, which the seven-person ensemble plays on a combination of rock and traditional instruments. The arrangements establish a dramatic tension between the ancient and modern elements. On the ‘ancient’ side stand the plaintive vocals of Ágnes Herczku and Gergely Agócs as well as the sensitive violin lines of Beáta Salamon. Though both Herczku and Agócs sing with warmth and passion, their voices are shockingly dissimilar. Her voice is clear and crystalline (on “Citrusfa” she sounds like Annie Haslam), while his is coarse and throaty. When both sing at once, the contrast immediately heightens the musical drama. The more ‘modern’ side of the arrangements come from Zoltán Sipeki (guitar), Gábor Molnár (drums), and Szilveszter and Tibor Bornai (keys). On tunes like “Kis Kece Lányom”, these four tread lightly on the folk melodies, adding only a light rock beat, a few chords, and the occasional riff. On others, they hit harder, creating a genuine folk-rock fusion. Occasionally, as on “Cinege Madár”, they go even further and lay down throbbing, repetitive, techno/dance beats with lots of electric drums, sounding like a Hungarian version of Sorten Muld. Personally, I could do without the techno elements, but the overall folksy and romantic beauty of the album (especially the vocals and violin) more than makes up for it. Recommended to those looking for expressive ethno-rock with a Hungarian flavor.

Jim Chokey