Ataraxia – Sylfaera The Fair (Digital/CD/Vinyl Album – The Circle Music)
“Sylfaera The Fair” can certainly be considered a new milestone in the long history of the Italian group Ataraxia. This is the band’s thirtieth album and the conclusion of a trilogy preceded by “Pomegranate” (2022) and “Centaurea” (2024).
Masterfully guided by the heavenly and unique voice of Francesca Nicoli, alongside her long-time collaborators Vittorio Vandelli and Giovanni Pagliari, the group has also invited several guest musicians for this ten-track work. “Sylfaera The Fair” unfolds like an invitation—the siren call of an imaginary, dark mermaid guiding us through bygone and never-existing lands. Musically, Ataraxia remains faithful to a singular fusion of genres, the secret of which only they seem to possess. Their sound can be situated somewhere between Neo-Folk, Ethereal, Neo-Classical, and Medieval music, while also carrying a distinctly Cinematic quality. The strength of the ensemble lies in its rich tapestry of acoustic instruments, seamlessly interwoven with electronic arrangements and electric guitar. At times, the result is epic; at others, it is refined down to the smallest detail. Francesca Nicoli ultimately provides the magical finishing touch with her unmistakable vocal timbre.
This new work offers a powerful and artistic finale to a trilogy that deserves to be discovered and embraced in its entirety. (Rating:8).
Watch the clip “Sylfaera”: Read the news on ‘Sylfaera The Fair’.
About Ataraxia
Ataraxia is a neoclassical dark wave and dark folk band from Modena and Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. The group was founded in the second half of the 1980s by vocalist Francesca Nicoli and guitarist Michele Urbano, with the line-up stabilising around Nicoli, guitarist and composer Vittorio Vandelli, and keyboardist Giovanni Pagliari in the early 1990s. Their work combines electronic technology with archaic and acoustic instruments, and their lyrics frequently reference nature, ancient cultures and mythological themes.
In their early years the band issued self-released recordings such as “Prophetia” and “Nosce Te Ipsum” before working with labels including Energeia and Cruel Moon International, building a discography across cassette, CD and vinyl. Late-1990s albums such as “Historiae” explored medieval and liturgical atmospheres. Several long-deleted works, including “Saphir” and “Os Cavaleiros do Templo”, were later reissued by Twilight Records.
In 2016 the band released “Deep Blue Firmament” via Sleaszy Rider Records, followed by “Synchronicity Embraced” in 2018 and “Quasar”, stylised as “ΘUASAR”.
The collaboration with The Circle Music began with the 28th studio album “Pomegranate (The Chant of the Elementals)” in 2022, followed by the 29th album “Centaurea” in 2024, both issued on digital, CD and vinyl.
“Sylfaera The Fair”, the band’s 30th studio album, completes the trilogy begun with “Pomegranate” and continued with “Centaurea”, again released through The Circle Music on digital, CD and vinyl.
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