Vales Elia is a UK duo that works within the field of folk music but is also heavily influenced by darkwave and new age. Their latest release ‘The Enchanted Door’ is one of those records that appeared late in December 2018 and here we are making sure they are not lost in the avalanche of holiday releases, deals, promos and whatnot.

Honestly, Vales Elia couldn’t have picked a better time for this record. On our side of the world is now winter and what more suitable than a cold snowy night, a cup of warm tea and a record that opens unknown worlds and tells ancient stories about long-forgotten myths and mysteries. While the roots of Vales Elia are acoustic folk music, with amazing, or should we say enchanting, vocals, their arrangements are going far beyond the aesthetics of (dark) folk or medieval music. Among the beautiful guitar melodies, you’ll find spatial synth sounds, percussions and a plethora of instruments mixed in a lively and mystical soundscapes.

Pieces like ‘Beltane Fire’, ‘Disintegrated Beauty’ and the epic eight-minute long ‘The Mermaid Song’ offer so complex and multilayered music-writing and arrangement choices that you’ll be repeating them multiple times before you move on to explore the rest of the album. Another thing this album really stands out for is the amazing lyrics, which are a piece of art on their own. In general, ‘The Enchanted Door’ by Vales Elia is one of the better things you’ll have the chance to experience this winter so don’t be afraid, open the door and enter their world. And of course, don’t be a stranger, drop them a line on Drooble!