Cygnus Rock Band - Folkgressive (Ancient Visions)

This song is Beauty itself in a bit less than 4 minutes.

Another underrated song by Cygnus. Actually we could call the entire "Ancient Visions" album as The Album Of Underrated Songs. This album, dear everyone, is a bit more than 53 minutes of joy, wonder, magic and grace, with a myriad of hidden gems.

While you out there comprehend only that there's a "party song" there, also somewhere a "sexy song" and a "romantic sounding ballad", nothing else 😒 

I remember I was walking on the deserted streets of my hometown at an autumn night among these typical, ex-communist, 10-storey residential blocks listening to Ancient Visions when this song hit me all of a sudden.

Yes, this is one of the many reasons why I love this band. I know I've said it many times, but it's something I can't say enough. No matter how many times I've listened to them and their songs, there is always something new to discover or a song somehow - in its own, quiet but determined way - hits me out of the blue. Forever hide-and-seek game, in the most beautiful way possible! 💓

Looking back, I was walking by a half-rotten, old car - pretty much a common view here: old blocks, old cars, everything here is worn-out and dull - when my player app switched to Folkgressive. I had to stop and stand, just staring in front of me, my heart wanted to jump out of my chest as the song took everything over in my ears, my mind and my heart. All I could think of that it's impossible that I hadn't recognized yet what a beautiful song it is, how complex, how versatile it is, how many hidden treasures are there in it; my second thought was that I became mad at myself that I hadn't comprehend all these things so far, even though I had listened to this song a zillion times before, and I loved it even then, just... I don't know. Maybe this is the real secret of it, to allow it to dance around you unperceived, then it hits you, and you hug it, hold it tight and don't want to let it go for ever...

The song starts with a wonderful, sweeping folk tune that makes your blood run faster right there with the percussions and the tiple. They quickly give way to the electric instruments; the drums, the bass and the guitars shake up the listener from the day-dreaming. 

The real beauty starts when the orchestra joins. 

At that point you already have tears in your eyes.

Then you realize this song is full of not only wonderful tunes, but also with rhythm changes. It's very subtle, it won't jump into your face right in the first moment; you need to listen to the song many times, thoroughly focusing, keeping your ears open. If there's something that's really a master's work in this song, then it's this - the basis, the drums and the bass, the timing, 

I'm not sure if this is what's called polyrhythm; correct me if I'm wrong

the slowing down, the speeding up, and all this being put together, after each other in harmony by gentle, caring hands.

Bow down for these musicians. Right now. I don't care what you're doing or where you are. They deserve it, even if you're in a knee-deep snow.

At this point the wind instruments caress your ears, the electric ones disappeared; only the symphonic orchestra is escorting them along with the rhythm section. Suddenly appears the guitar again, just to play hide-and-seek with the strings

harpe or pizzicato? I still couldn't find it out after who knows how many listenings, but whichever it is, it's BEAUTIFUL

and if you listen to it with really, really open ears, you will discover that the flute, the orchestra and the guitar actually play the same melody.

At this point you're holding on to an old handrail somewhere at a block's stairway, because you can't see anything from your tears, your knees are totally weak and you don't want to risk fainting.

But beware, dear listener. The most massive beauty is yet to come. Spare your tears, keep your heart in your chest.

Because after the strings' gentle, playful dance comes the real, total beauty that hits you right in the groints.

Yes.

The bass.

You need to listen very well though, because as humble as this wonderful instrument is, it likes to hide behind other instruments, like here, behind the guitar. But alas, dear wonderfully gruntling, stringed beauty, there are 3 things that can't be hidden for too long.

The Sun, the Moon and the Truth Bass Line.

The bass, along with the drums here is doing probably the most beautiful - yet most underrated, most hidden, most discreetly hiding - treasure of the entire album. That kind, which - as soon as you discover it - leaves you in tears

(and all sorts of other juices, but since maybe young people also read these lines, I prefer not to get into details 🔞)

and all you can do is to stare at the waxing moon in the sky wondering what you did in your life that you deserve this beauty.

And you feel utterly thankful.

But aye... it's still not the end. The catharsis is on the way.

After this wonderful, enchanting dance of the bass, the drums and the guitar the orchestration takes over a bit, just to soothen your racing heart and wipe off your tears before the peak moment of the song comes.

You already know something is about to happen when you hear the bass string growling deeply, after a determinated hand slapped on it with a pick, letting it vibrate until it quietens down. It brings a shiver down on your spine.

Then there's a tiny silence before it starts to swirl around you. And it does, with more and more power and determination, like a snake with its strong, silky, seductive embrace.

The humane voices appear as instruments, accompanied only by percussions.

Your lips are dry, your eyes are wet, your heart wants to burst out of your chest and all you can think of is that no matter how many times you listen to it, it still won't be enough. You bite into your own hand, because no matter how deserted the night streets are, you still don't wanto to start crying in public.

You fail, but even that doesn't matter at this point. Only the music matters and the magic it brings.

Then it all of a sudden disappears as if it was just a dream. The orchestra returns, now together with the guitar. But worry not, dear listener. It wipes off your tears, strengthens your heart, brings a smile on your face, and you feel yourself really as if you had just woken up from a beautiful dream.

It's yours. You've seen it. And from now on nobody ever can take it away from you.