Mythologies (Original Album) By Herald K

Mythologies, Herald K's album of enchanting folk melodies, fascinates the audience with a charming realm where tales and lore come alive through music. The 10 majestic tracks on this collection explore ancient stories from cultures around the world with fresh interpretations full of wonder.

Several previously released singles are remastered here, anchoring this mythical journey with vibrant folk melodies. Favorites like "Where Eagles Fly" paint pictures of soaring through the heavens, while "Circe" brings to life the enchantress of Homer’s Odyssey. "Echo's Song" captures the lonely beauty of being cursed to only repeat what you've heard, a sentiment carried through much of the album.

 

The album kicks off with the fervent "Old Soul," setting the stage for what's to come with its spirited strumming guitar, sweet harmonies, and lore-filled lyrics. But it's "Charon," the haunting song of the mythical Greek ferryman of Hades, that stops you in your tracks.

'Mercy Me', a nostalgic-seeming tune, turns into a lament on unheeded historic lessons about war, to a backdrop of a dirgeful harmonica combining with a slide guitar subtly resembling swords or bayonets on a battlefield. And "The Dark Lady," which closes the album in a sensational fashion, shows off Herald K's full melodic and emotional range as they evoke melancholy magic.

 

This is folk music reinvented with a cinematic flair. Classic acoustic instruments like strings, piano, and harmonica are fused with contemporary production, creating lush soundscapes that glide between wistfulness and marvel. Astonishing string arrangements carry songs like "Mountains of Mourne," a melodic centerpiece where vocals and strings intertwine in a bewitching dance.

Herald K's storytelling vocals imbue these age-old tales with new depth and significance, supported by layered harmonies from Jessica Slavik and Lina Louise. Instrumental textures drift from past to present on nyckelharpa, accordion, tin whistle (Stephan Steiner), bass (Navid Djawadi), and slide guitar (Markus Mayerhofer).

At its heart, Mythologies celebrates storytelling as an ancient art, capturing timeless archetypes that continue to resonate today. The musicianship is exquisite, and the songs are hauntingly beautiful, but it's the myths themselves, restored to life through music, that fascinate you. Decades or millennia may separate us from these stories, yet they still tap into something fundamentally human, retold here to enlighten wonder anew. To keep up with future releases from Herald K, follow him on social media, then dive into the full album by streaming it online.

Photos credits: Funky Eye