The Fascinating Turnip

abdullah424 sent me this:

Stavros Lantsias seems to be a Greek pianist, possibly a multi-instrumentalist, though I'm afraid I lack the information to elaborate further (perhaps I haven't tried hard enough).

I found listening to the album a quite pleasurable experience. I'd say it's pretty damn fantastic.

The violin and the piano feature quite proeminently on it, while several other instruments, which I wouldn't dream of trying to name, give their worthy contribution.

It starts off with a certain soothing melancholia, a mood that stays with the whole album on a general note. It has certain film noiresque nuances about it, which make it all the more enthralling (think The Waltz Of June).

I like how it sets a certain mood while never fading into the background, which is a common denominator with low caliber instrumental albums, making you hang on every twist and turn. There's a very impressive emotional quality to it, that stands out in tracks like "Quest".

It's also a fairly eclectic album, with some middle eastern influences occasionaly popping up, and a wide range of musical arrangements that cover pieces of music like the Waltz and what seems to be something like the Tango, for example.

The title of the album, "Return", makes me want to insert the songs in a certain context, a journey, a transformative journey home, perhaps.
The whole nostalgia and sullenness that envolve most of the pieces seem to support my claim. The eclecticity seems to give it a more mundane, global, experienced, if you will, feeling; and the occasional romantic, passionate side of the album seems to be reminiscent of loves had and loves lost.

I recommend this album vehemently.
Thanks for the experience, abdullah.