London Folk Magazine and News
The ancient sound of Spain - Viguela, Album Review
Album Review
A la Manera Artesana by Vigüela
If you fancy an authentic musical adventure through the Castilla La-Mancha region of Spain´s vast interior plateaux, the new album from Viguela will transport you, with ease, to these ancient mountains and high, dry plains.
The group Viguela have spent 30 years passionately preserving the indigenous culture of this remote region and their new album ´A la Manera Artesana´ (In The Artisan Way) celebrates the living/working songs and dances of its hill villages, farming communities and ancient trades.
There is little more passionate than the Spanish guitar and vocal: raw emotion, played and sung without restraint. This album contains no shortage of passion and I suspect, suffering. Powerful stuff.
The fascinating plethora of traditional instruments used on the album is well worth examining - my current favourites being the Zambomba (friction drum) and the single-stringed gourd fiddle the Rebeq.
What also struck me was the methodical synthesis applied to the album, each song moving the listener along some ancient lane, from region-to-region. Village festival Fandangos (lively dance tunes) and reflective a capella numbers, this song book for the region has a track for every occasion.
As far as folk/world music albums goes, Viguela´s release ticks the holy trinity:
It is brimming with raw organic passion for the music and traditional instruments of the region.
It has been thoroughly researched, akin to the dedication of a musicologist.
It is performed with expressive playfulness and contemporary experimentation which helps to give it global appeal, thus transcending the boundaries of its origins.
Congratulations to Viguela, well worth a listen.
´A la manera artesana´ is released through ARC Music with management by Mapamundi Musica.
