Review Summary: Daydreaming and medieval breeze.
Maybe it may sound odd for some, but well yes: such thing as medieval ambient music exists. Few years ago the very elusive genre, dungeon synth, went through its renaissance and started blooming. More and more artists and various projects popped up, so did newer styles as well. The previously mysterious and gloomy genre changed, and it did not focus merely on dark concepts anymore. However, the strong escapist mentality and the adoration of the medieval culture and legends remained a strong element - and respectfully following this concept some new idyllic and harmonious releases could step into the spotlight as well.
The magic behind Fief's success might be that how unexpectedly good it is. I chose to write about this compilation album, because speaking generally about Fief's music is pretty accurate even if we're looking at the entire discography. Fief is all about the charming medieval melodies and atmosphere presented on various string instruments, accompanied by other folkish instruments like wind instruments and simple percussions - inviting the listener for a highly atmospheric fantasy-filled medieval journey.
I-IV is a complete collection of the first four Fief albums. Most impressively, Fief's output doesn't really have downsides or weaker sections; however the qualitative progression is easily noticeable over time - especially in the production's quality. The last album in the compilation,
IV, has an outstandingly great and clear production, and personally I love the compositions the most in that one - however, the first albums have their own lovely atmosphere as well. Each album stands very well on its own, but I do believe such compilations may offer a special experience, or even have a greater impact on the listener.
Hiding in anonymity, the greatly talented artist behind this project did burst into the public consciousness as one of the shiniest stars within the genre. And there was a good reason why did this happen. Fief's output was very charming and soothing since the very beginning, and those (including myself) who had a keen interest in such things ended up being more than pleased. It is certainly not for everyone, since enjoying this kind of music more or less requires a definite state of mind or "appetite". And I couldn't care less if I'm labelled as an escapist nerd or whatever, since what this kind of music means to me is beyond my descriptive skills.
I discovered Fief two years ago, but I was hooked by its enchanting style instanly. And when I've found out that
Out Of Season released the entire Fief collection, I knew I must get my hands on this. And this double CD is one of my shiniest gems in my music collection ever since. And I can highly encourage anyone to give this at least a brief listen. Lay down, get comfy, and let the cheerful melodies lift your spirit.
