My interest in Nicholas Lens was relighted when I found out that a new colleague of mine listens to modern classical quite a bit, so I hoped that maybe he knew Nicholas Lens and could point me in a good direction to look for more of this kind of music. I also tried this once quite a while ago when I met a girl who studies opera, but however she loved “Flamma Flamma” she had never heard anything like it! Also the colleague didn’t know Lens yet and when he heard it he was to total exstacy, but he he had never heard anything that even comes close (damn!). Then he played it to an uncle of his who is a total classical music addict, but the reaction was the same (damn!!). (I also played Devil Doll (one of my favourite mysical projects) to the colleague which he loved (of course!).) Anyway, I decided to find out if Lens had released anything after my previous search for his music. It came to me that his music isn’t as easy to get anymore as when I just bought “Flamma Flamma” in a local record-store. But I was delighted to find this 1999 cd.
It is recorded with almost the same people as “Flamma Flamma”, so you will hear similar beautiful voices. However the music is again quite experimental and electronic, there are more real instruments (also some quite uncommon) and the music is by far not as bombastic and dark as on “Flamma Flamma”, but still this is very very nice. If you like “Flamma Flamma” you better buy “Terra Terra” as well. One more point: I have seen “Flamma Flamma” with an alternative cover and this cd says: “The Accacha Chronicles part II”, so if “Flamma Flamma” is part I, I guess there is (or will be) also a third part.
Closing off tip, I was suggested to listen to György Ligetti, who is also reviewed.