Magick Brother & Mystic Sister is a project originally from Barcelona, Spain that plays Psychedelic/Prog and Canterbury. The new album “Tarot part II” was released on November 22, 2024 via Sound Effect Records and contains 10 tracks ranging from 3 to over 7 minutes in length. The album opens with the dreamy arpeggios of “Strength,” immediately bringing us into the band’s musical world with a refined female vocal that inheres. The retro imprinting takes us back to the Canterbury Scene and those sounds, mixing Psychedelia, Prog and Jazzy traits. In a continuous musical crescendo, the band evolves the piece with fine vocal parts that intertwine and then give way to rich musical textures. Excellent mixtures and interweaving of guitar and keyboards, bringing the atmosphere of the 60s-70s Canterbury Scene into a modern and personal context. “The Hanged Man” is a 3-minute-long psychedelic passage with percussion and intertwining keyboard arpeggios. The track is enhanced by effects and shows a more lysergic side to the band’s sound. Dreamy guitar arpeggios characterise the intro of “The Unnamed Arcane,” exploring here Psychedelic and Experimental sounds with keyboards in evidence in the second part, enriched by effects. Effects that connect us to the following “The Temperance,” which returns to the more melodic sounds of the Canterbury Scene. The Jazzy touch is mixed with Prog/Psych and a good use of effects and modulations, with references to bands like Gong. “The Tower” continues the sound of the previous one with a killer, deep, driving bassline and solid drumming to complete the rhythm section. The keyboards and vocals lead us to explore sounds between Space, Krautrock and Prog, with fine instrumental work. One of the album’s longest tracks “The Star” takes us into the deepest space, with fine keyboard work and layering. The sound recalls the more Ambient side of Kosmische Musik. The band continues the musical discourse of the previous one in “The Moon,” continuing this pleasant journey through space. The enveloping female vocals add a lysergic touch to the sound, developed with sophisticated keyboard work and modulations. “The Sun” is a track that returns to the sounds of the beginning of the album with that interesting mixture of Prog/Psych and Canterbury. The melodic vocals accompany us through these refined and delicate instrumental textures that once again manage to bring the atmospheres of the genre’s golden era into a fresh and modern context. In the central instrumental section, the guitar offers a prolonged solo insert, and then the vocal returns for the last verses and concludes. An interweaving of Folk Rock and Psychedelia characterises “The Judgement,” with delicate female vocals and dreamy arpeggios that take us back to the past. Baroque atmospheres permeate the track, enveloping the listener and enriching the sound with effects in the second half and fine interlacing of harpeggios with traditional instruments. The album ends with the longest track “The World,” which is over seven minutes long and continues in the style of the previous one. Psychedelic folk imbued with oriental and meditative sounds, repeated and hypnotic sounds that take the listener into another dimension. An album that confirms the good things previously heard from this band. A pleasant journey through different genres and styles between Psychedelic rock, Progressive and Folk Rock, passing through Space Rock, Experimental and Canterbry Scene. A recommended listen, full of quality ideas that enhance the band’s compositional and performing technique, bringing the sounds of the past into a modern and personal context.
Tracklist
01. Strength (5:05)
02. The Hanged Man (3:31)
03. The Unnamed Arcane (3:25)
04. The Temperance (4:26)
05. The Devil (3:23)
06. The Tower (3:16)
07. The Star (5:00)
08. The Moon (5:54)
09. The Sun (4:42)
10. The Judgement (5:56)
11. The World (7:12)
Lineup
Eva Muntada / Vocals, Synthesizers, Mellotron, Organ, Piano
Xavier Sandoval / Bass and Guitars
Alejandro Carmona / Drums
Tony Jagwar / Sitar, Guitars
With:
Glenn Brigman / Vocals
Didac Ruiz / Percussions
Maddy Gray / Voiceover