The Ascension to Come

For any fan of “South Park,” Peruvian music conjures images of pan flute bands on the streets making troves of money while protecting the earth from giant hamsters. In the case of Montibus Communitas, their experimental take on traditional Peruvian music, communal ways and over-all beautiful fluidity very well may prevent the take-over by giant, man-eating hamsters as well as providing solace for the human soul. Their latest release, The Pilgrim to the Absolute, is a true pilgrimage through the South American jungles and leaves the listener wanting to see what other recesses of the soul this daring band may venture.

The album starts with the sounds of a South American jungle – a bustling creek, birds, and even the illusionary sounds of trees. “The Pilgrim Under the Stars” then breaks through to wondrous pipes and a symphony of sound that cascades and reverberates directly to the mind. A light voice enters as an accent as hints of a tribal gathering to come. This theme continues throughout the entirety of the album with the following songs incorporating reverb-rich guitar scrapes, and a variety of sounds that indicate that the voyage is continuing. “The Pilgrim at the Shrine” brings the listener to a dance of utmost spiritual importance with a rushed and tribal drumbeat and exciting violins with the shouts of “Oh!”

The Pilgrimage continues to other planes from whence the celebration has been completed and ascension now occurs. The use of gradual crescendos, extreme reverb, and light instrumental accents only go to prove that this band only has the intention of showing the higher realms to those whose minds are open to them. This is especially true in “The Pilgrim and the Light Masters” where the pilgrim, defined as all who have embarked upon the quest, make first contact with those spiritualistic beings of energy.

The journey ends with enlightenment when the Pilgrim reaches the absolute. This final song is similar to the first though much more haunting and with a less urgent feel, just to show that the journey has just been a circle though the ending is much less tense. This album is a must-listen for anyone who needs some down-time from the hustle and bustle as well as anyone who loves the ambient experimentation of organic sounds. With this being only their second album and with a continually changing line-up, Montibus Communitas are sure to only evolve further into new plains of existence.