Lhetargija – Raganas Macekle (Album – Noisefabrik)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, Dark-Ambient, Minimal-Electro, Ethereal.
Format: Digital.
Background/Info: Lhetargija is a female solo-project from Latvia active since 2010. Raganas Mācekle has composed eight tracks for this new opus.
Content: This album clearly sounds as the offspring between different influences and genres. It for sure reflects elements of Ambient and Cinematographic music, but there also is a more Experimental input achieved with minimal sound treatments and field recordings. On top of the composition, I also noticed more meditative sounds like flute and guitar while vocal parts inject an Ethereal dimension.
+ + + : The main strength of this work is the originality; you can’t really label Lhetargija as one specific and established style. It’s a true osmosis between different genres, which can be mainly reduced to Experimental, Dark-Ambient and Ethereal. The last part of the album is for sure the most convincing one. I like the ghost-like vocal passages.
– – – : I’m not as convinced by the more Experimental side of the composition, which undermines the more artistic, Ethereal element.
Conclusion: “Raganas Macekle” is a difficult recording although revealing a true potential.
Best Songs: “Sterne Frau”, “Apprentie Sorcière”, “Pilsētas Likums”.
Rate: 6½.
Listen to “Raganas Mācekle”:
Artist: www.facebook.com/groups/940063883216193
Label: www.pharmafabrik.com / www.facebook.com/pharmafabrik.recordings
About Lhetargija
Lhetargija is a Latvian solo project. Discogs describes the act as an experimental underground one-woman project originating from the city of Jelgava, while the project’s Bandcamp page gives Riga as its location.
The first entries in the discography date from 2011, with the self-released CDr album “Operet’A” and “Iemīlējies Mēnesis”. A self-released digital set, “Tavaa Prataa”, followed without a documented year.
“Raganas Mācekle” was released on June 6, 2021 through NoiseFabrik as a CDr album and as a download. The sleeve uses a painting by Laima C. and a photograph by shingetsu. Those eight tracks are the recording reviewed above.
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