Popol Vuh-In Den Gärten Pharaos (1971)

Popol Vuh were pioneers in expressing the diverse musical ideas that emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. With their second release, "In Den Gärten Pharaos" (1971), the band, led by Florian Fricke, demonstrated a clear evolution from their debut album released the previous year. In addition to Fricke (synthesizers, organ, and electric piano), the Popol Vuh lineup for this album included Betina (cymbals and production), Holger Trülzsch (Turkish, African, and Asian percussion instruments), and Frank Fiedler (Moog synthesizers). Comprising two expansive epics of genuinely hypnotic sounds, this is undoubtedly one of the great milestones of popular music, representing a fundamental step forward in the development and consolidation of the various musical movements that would follow. The nearly 20-minute title track, "In den Gärten Pharaos", establishes a surreal, cosmic adventure, with a multitude of ambient sounds and rich instrumentation that alternates between world music percussion, cymbals, organs, and synthesizers. In "Vuh", an even more extensive suite, the medieval church organ is the driving force behind the music, which, supported by synthesizers and the cacophonous sounds of cymbals and drums, creates a sound very close to trance and the deepest meditation. Without a doubt, despite its inaccessibility to the general public, "In den Gärten Pharaos" is a masterpiece of contemporary music and of the most experimental and innovative rock.