Vedres was part of After Crying on their first three albums including the excellent Megalozottak Es Megszomotitottak. Later he formed Townscream which lasted only one album. Except for the 10 tracks (11 to 20), these songs are all taken from previous albums by Vedres. They were selected by the editor/label boss Gergely Boszormenyi while he was hospitalized. Turned out he selected the darkest side of Vedres for the most part, and since I also happen to like that side of most artists most...
The album opens with a number of melodious and melancholic piano pieces. The first uplifting one is the third, Levelek VII which is based on a dancing piano line. In a way it also reminds me in places of a minimalist such as Wim Mertens. The fourth and fifth track are also quite similar: soothing, moody vocals, very melodic and on the longer of the two also some plaintive flute. The vocals are very careful, not as high as minimalist Wim Mertens, but I do hear a likeness. The music stays dominated by piano throughout.
Szelíd Szél is a bit lighter of tone and more percussive (played on piano, mind you). Ahoi! Ahoy! is also on the playful side in parts, but certainly not all of it. There is also some trumpet here. Tánc is a short piano excertition. Lékéktánc is a more classical piece with violin the dominant factor. This song and the following one, Improvizációk are quite a bit sadder and also less melodious than the previous songs. Szabad Otletek Jegyzéke is a name for the ten following short tracks that never fitted anywhere. Tenm short sketches, quite a bit more uplifting than the foregoing. Jazzy elements, classical elements, but also the type of tunes one hears in Hollywood movies a few decennia ago. The music sounds more 'studied' and less emotional. A bit like etudes of some kind. Micsoda Csend opens with synth strings and the melodious, somber and nasal Hungarian vocals of Vedres. Like in the work of After Crying, the classical training of Vedres is apparent, but also like in After Crying the melodies seem the most important, a good thing in my opinion. This does not take away the fact that the music has generally a classical feel. Sivatagi Hajnal continues in very sad fashion, with somber low vocals, against the backdrop of a similarly inclined violin. A difference with earlier tracks is that here explicit percussion plays a role here, as well as somewhat noisy synths. On this compilation the tracks are generally grouped together per album, except the Levelek tracks which were on the same album as the following three tracks. Mesék I, Mesék III, and Mesék VI are very much piano dominated, more playful than most. Especially the final part is quite fast and jazzy. Hívó Jel/Cisz-dor Koncertűd is one of the longer tracks. The piano playing reminds strongly of the After Crying instrumentals and there is quite a bit of Emerson feel here as well. G-Dúr Szkepszis has percussively played piano, while Fekete Hangulat is a bit darker in places. Themes also used for After Crying albums pop up here. I like the percussive playing of piano so I feel right at home here. The music is quite fast, it seems a rise of tempo is noticeable proceeding more towards the end of the album. Elmenőben has a beautiful serene theme played on trumpet and closes down the album.
If you are into somber and melodious music, with a distinctive overall style, both in the low soothing vocals and the compositional style. The link to After Crying is quite obvious, although the music is of course less varied. At times I am reminded of Wim Mertens, but less nervously minimal. It turns that the editor has a rather specific taste when it comes to the music of Vedres. Everything is very melodious and colourful, at times the music may get to be a little more up-beat and friendly, but most the time we are roaming the sad sides of live. The new tracks are more like short studies and I cannot really think of them as songs. They are generally also less melodic. Main instruments are piano with violin a good second, implying this is not rock record of any kind, fans of Keith Emerson, electronic or chamber classical music or more likely to be charmed by this one.

Jurriaan Hage