Review - Hunting for Significance
This is a couple of conservatory graduates that releases a tasteful debut.
The initiative was taken by Eveline van Kampen in 2002 (graduated in Alkmaar, jazz&pop guitar dept.) Singer Esther Ladiges
(graduated in Alkmaar, jazz&pop vocal dept.) who also plays the flute.
The band is completed by two (ex) members of the progressive fusion band Songs Of The Exile, and a female keyboard player.
What does this bring to the original music? A logic amalgame of pop, progressive music with some jazz influences and an
alternative edge.
It started out with playing covers of Pain of Salvation and Fates Warning (to name a few) but soon original compositions
came. First proof is the demo "Into the Labyrinth" (2005). This full debut "Hunting for significance" (spanning almost an
hour) is released by the Swedish Progress Records label. It is calme, well groomed music, recorded perfect technically, in
The Granny Attic studio in Opmeer.
Intellectual music, but delivered with feeling. The female vocals are delicate and fit the calm character of the 11 songs. It
speaks of basguitars with and without frets, and the use of unusual instruments like "erhu" (2-stringed Chinese violin) and "pipa"
(a Chinese 4-string lute). Especially this last one makes some fine moments in "Chrysanthemum".
It also tells of travel experiences in China in the lyrics and these influences do work their way into the used instruments.
The flowing, beautiful guitar solos however, is what speaks to me most.
With the given points I try to give an objective criticism of the, on itself strong, debut "Hunting for significance", without
letting my personal taste take the upper hand.
Target audience?
Certainly lovers of symphonic rock; but there is also room for the pop world and alternative rock scene.
