Magna Canta - Sanctuary (11 tracks) +Album Reviews

The best release yet by Magna Canta!

Petar Vodogaz | Sydney, NSW Australia | 06/15/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the latest offering from Magna Canta and all I can say is a big YES! The album 'Sanctuary' is the best yet from this new age medieval chant group. In this album they have increased their range with a more international feel with Russian chants in the song titled 'Russia' and lovely female Japanese chants in the simple song title 'Japan'.

But in this album release, Magna Canta in the tracks of 'Kyrie', 'Sanctum Christi' and 'Credo' went into a mini dance sound...mild techno rhythms that matched the gregorian latin chants. This is the best from Magna Canta to date and in my personal opinion it has leaped over Lesiem in originality and execution of all the blends of styles and beats. The song 'Lux Lucies' is a prime example, dance beats with harmonious gregorian chants.

This is now a favourite CD of mine and is in my top 20 CD list of most listened. Beautiful, wonderful and mind blowing. What else can I say!"

Haunting ...

Sharad Yadav | 01/12/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"A wonderful follow up album by Magna Canta. These guys are here to stay. All tracks are very nicely done, but there are some tracks that are outstanding:

1. Russia: This track has a terrific start. The first few seconds of this track can justify the purchase of the entire album. Terrific electronic cadence music with masterful gregorian chants. The arrangement is very well layered and textured. Wonderful.

2. Kyrie: This track seems like a perfect mix of 2 tracks that are masterfully merged into one another. You get hooked to one and the other one emerges quickly from behind and captures your attention.

3. Pater Noster: This is a very peaceful track. Almost like a beautiful selfless prayer with very uplifting electronic music. The chants will stir your soul and in an emotional moment draw a tear as well. I really liked the way the track just fades away.

4. The best track on the CD. The music slowly appears from the yonder. The mind conjures rhythmic floating images that swirl all around you and the chants feel like tufts of fresh air on your face.

6. Japan: Haunting start to the track. Very creative mix of Gregorian and Japanese chants.

7. Lux Lucies: Keeps getting better. A very well layered track that will take you on a tranquail sonic journey. Awesome.

8. In Excelsiss Deo: Stunning: Distant percussions that will give you goose bumps. This track blurs the track between electronic, Gregorian and techno music. Irresistible dance music.

"

Good, though does not match up to their debut album

Jason | U.S | 06/10/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I loved Magna Canta's first release, Enchanted Spirits. I had very high hopes for this one, but the music as a whole seemed less memorable. The Gregorian chant dominates the music, which I love, but the dance beats that accompany it seem somewhat uninspired and mediocre. Nothing about the album seemed new to me. After the first listen, the songs already felt a little too familiar. I was hoping for at least one "awe-inspiring" piece, (such as the song "Fundamentum" by the similar group Lesiem)but I didn't find it. Still, a good release."

Excellent CD...without being mind-blowing.

Distant Voyageur | Io | 10/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The latest release from the Intent City Label is from a group named Magna Canta and the CD is entitled "Sanctuary" and it is a very good CD with a great blend of dance, New Age, and Gregorian Chants with infectious dance beats. The album cover is a great portrayer of the mood of this release. The first half of this album though is very strong with the first six tracks but then starts to wander off from there onwards until the very last song.

The album opens strong with "Russia" with it's beautiful mix of classical chorus, dance beats, as well as electronic groove rhythm. It is followed by one of my favorite songs entitled "Kyrie" which has a strong European dance vibe. "Sanctun Christie" is my favorite track on this album with it's R&B Hip-hop rhythm with New Age, electronic and Gregorian Voices that perfectly come together. "Credo" feels like something that perhaps Eurodance group Real McCoy would've done but it is a very good song but is a bit repetitive. "Japan" is a wonderful song however with a colorful, dark but cheerful melody. The album does start to coast towards the latter half of the album and most of the songs just seem to start strong yet just simply plateau less than halfway through them and almost all of them are only exactly four minutes long and not much longer. The end result is a great album that is mired by a sense of feeling unfinished or rushed due to the short running length and the plateau nature of some of the tracks. That plateau feeling however is ended with the strong closer entitled "Sequentia" which is a great and exotic track with a great arrangement and dramatic and closes the album on top.

Overall, this is yet a very good CD and definitely recommended but don't expect to be blown away by it but do expect a good listening experience especially during the early morning dawn hours in the summer or during a trip to Europe.

"

Beautiful music.....

Sam | Seahurst, Washington | 08/31/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Gregorian Chants and techno beats put together to form a strange but pleasant mix. It's odd, but somehow works. Even though it's two separate tastes, it works surprisingly well together. The end result is an album that is both relaxing and moving (in a new-age sort of way). At times it was as mellow as I've heard on an elevator or in a dentist's office, playing side by side with Enya-----and then the beat and rhythm picks up and I found myself wanting to sway with the music and move my body and legs around. A very unexpected treat in music sound.

"

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