One album that we’ve been enjoying a lot recently here at HandPans Magazine, after stumbling across some epic performances by them over at YouTube a few weeks back, is the self-titled album by the outfit named, ‘Algambra’.
Algambra (by Algambra) has a super-chilled vibe to it, with tracks like ‘Night Sky’, that carries you away to some exotic destination, and doesn’t just invite you to relax, but insists upon it. And the cello-laden ‘New Year Lullaby in Space’, that is not just fitting for the time of year as we post this, but its plodding melody perfectly captures that flavour situated directly between melancholic, and uplifting, that we’ve grown to love in good HandPan music.
Another reason we’ve got a lot of love for this self-titled album, is that the dominant voice, HandPan-wise, sounds to be the Caisa HandPan, an instrument that doesn’t get a whole lot of love within the HandPan community, but, as this album shows, in the right hands, is just as capable of producing magic, as any of its brethren. Though there’s also some Victor Levinson SPB on here too. And judging by their recent video for the track ‘Walking Across the Desert’ (embedded - but not featured on this particular album), it appears as if they’ve added a Pantheon Steel Halo to their arsenal as well, with good results.
And with this album available to listen to for free, with the option to purchase from as little as $3 over at BandCamp (at time of posting), in our book, you can’t really go wrong.
Decide for yourself, below...
