Faun
Renaissance

"Renaissance" is only the third in a series of albums that have suddenly catapulted them into the ranks of the most well-known and relevant bands in the medieval folk genre.

The album offers a successful mix of acoustic instrumentation (bagpipes, violin, acoustic guitar, flutes), tribal percussion, and graceful yet melancholic vocal melodies, as folk tradition dictates. A peculiarity is the absence of keyboards, synthesizers, and pianos in the instrumentation used. This choice aims to give their sonic dimension a less artificial aspect, which is more challenging compared to other peer bands but no less intense for that. Many tracks exhibit rhythms that demand appropriate physical engagement, without falling into those overused and (in this case) extremely inappropriate dance-floor rhythms that are so popular in Germany. "Satyros" opens the dance, a medieval song based on a sweet, sing-song female vocal melody accompanied by a lively violin and booming percussion, with an introspective and dark interlude. Next comes "Da que deus," which presents the same structure as the previous track, adding acoustic guitar and flute to the sound blend. However, this piece is less danceable and carefree than "Satyros," thanks to a not too pronounced nostalgic pathos.

"Tagelied" is introduced by veiled percussion and intense acoustic guitar notes, featuring the appearance of the male voice, which, mournful and deep, seems to better fit the music offered than the female voice. The German language, with its melancholic severity, gives the piece a distinctly folk touch. And here comes "Rhiannon," which draws heavily from Welsh mythology. This time, the bagpipes (reminiscent of Corvus Corax) duet with the tribal rhythms of the percussion. The sound of waves and a soft chant introduce us to the fifth track on the list: "Sirena." Many gothic bands have dedicated at least one piece to this character, and Faun does not want to be outdone, creating beautiful acoustic rhythms that are dark and hypnotic. "Königin" and "Iyansa" are subdued and evocative nocturnal songs. The first is muted, while the second is rhythmic, severe, and endowed with a growing and almost dissonant final climax. "Loibere risen" is instead another delicate medieval ballad supported by calm acoustic arpeggios, distinctly contrasting with the noisy end of the previous track. Finally, in "Rosmarin," the male voice returns, steering us into territories of poignant emotional intensity reminiscent of gypsy tradition. Noteworthy is the intense sound rendition thanks to the particular use of the electric guitar at the end. "Das Tor" is the last contact with the sweetness of Faun's music, orchestrated to perfection in this episode by the female vocals and the violin background, which become increasingly ethereal until they slowly vanish into a limbo of percussion and enveloping sounds.

The Faun's genre is characterized by a scene from which emerging is a job that requires great effort. However, the German band has managed in a short time to stand out from the crowd of skilled craftsmen lacking any innovative sonic idea with a sound always suspended between the ethereal, the ethnic, and the severity of Teutonic folk music. By reviving traditions (musical but also poetic and linguistic), songs, medieval ballads—the core of a culture, the pagan one, which is experiencing a rediscovery and great development (among musicians, listeners, scholars, and mere enthusiasts) at the European level—which outlines a strong underlying conviction apart from any commercial stance. Possibly for this reason too, Faun's music remains a music for chosen few who have remedied the alienating contact with modern society with a sincere return to the mother of all living forms, nature, to rediscover the charm and arcane mysteries hidden within it. The album's title thus aims not at a reference to a historical era but at a deep analysis of the term itself. An inner process aimed at discovering and amplifying emotions, sensations, and dreams. An experiment far from the scientific and rational approach prevailing in advanced society, which aims to focus on the surrounding environment, on the cyclical structures of nature to feel part of a cosmic process inseparably linked to the crucial phases of life such as birth and death. As announced in the album notes, the band's intent is to communicate to people an unsolvable puzzle, whose solution resides only within the soul, attempting to open a door and express their point of view, which can also be embraced by others as an existential philosophy.

For lovers of intense emotions, "Renaissance" remains an opportunity not to be missed, even if, despite Faun continuing to express their voice within static and repetitive music, the glories of local groups such as Ataraxia, Corde Oblique, and Argine remain a distant mirage.