Mykalle – Da pacem Review

What does Mykalle sound like?

A modern, universal embodiment of a priestess.

The review of ‘Da pacem’ from Mykalle

Sometimes the bio of an artist can hit home exactly how I feel about an artist and their work, and such is the case for Mykalle. Residing in Canada, Mykalle sings in Latin, Greek, Bulgarian and English, using her voice like a universal priestess. She references old literary texts and brings in traditional instruments like the Oud and Kanun. There is a healing, religious quality to her music, but she always recontextualises it. Her press blurb says she is a “contemporary priestess”. I agree.

‘Da pacem’ is a ten-track album from a ten-year career, and there is an element of true blossoming and fully embracing her musical vision with this work. She genre and language hops from track to track, but there is always a cathartic, healing presence throughout. ‘Kyrie (Traditional)’ opens like a Byzantine heaven. Wind chimes and shakers rustle, while warm yet soft organ synths gently soothe the mind. Mykalle layers her voice into a choir sample and uses it to bring a graceful beauty to the track, whilst some of the synth work adds a dystopian grit to it, too. ‘Ghost’ brings in oud and a sultry, stealthy tone. It may be an odd comparison, but I’m reminded of how Sevdaliza uses electronic beats and synths alongside traditional instruments and hooks to create an angular, unusual brand of sophistipop. This track is very catchy and a would-be alt radio hit.

The Bulgarian outpouring of traditional singing shows a tour-de-force of vocal gymnastics from Mykalle when we reach ‘Pritouritza Planinata’. A simple ’80s synth organ backs up the vocals, reminding me of that Cold War, nuclear fear era that oozed tension through Tangerine Dream synths. Mykalle is absolutely captivating in a way rarely found outside of Lisa Gerrard, as it crosses the usual boundaries of traditional and modern music. The title track, ‘Da pacem,’ similarly takes a traditional choir piece and adds in classical ambient synths, electronic beats, and warbly synths to create a modern, off-kilter approach to hymns. It’s followed by the solemn vocal only ‘Strati an Angelaki Doumasche’, which uses vocal snippets to create a pulsing undercurrent for another traditional Bulgarian masterclass.

Throughout the album, there is a delicate balance between catharsis and tension. ‘I Dare You to Bring You Peace’ is the perfect example of this. The album moves into an in-room style of production for the next couple of songs. For this track, the tiniest of bell tinkles and cymbal caresses are picked up like tiny rustles beneath a single note hum of an organ. Percussive ASMR whilst being served poetry in motion, anyone? Why not… Mykalle transitions from ethereal hums to an evolving, slow-motion chant. There is light and happiness hidden inside the track, but you’ve got to dig for it under the tension. The taut nature continues into ‘Oneness’, a more foreboding orchestral pop track. The vocals are recorded so close to the speakers that you can feel every syllable hit your ear canal. When that’s combined with the luscious finger cymbals and malletted percussion, yes, it does bring you oneness and stillness, but not in a traditional way.

‘Alleluya’ merges together harmonium-like drones with an extended low piano note that distorts into grains of synths for another unusual track. ‘Glow’ sounds like it has been performed in a Greek bath with its unusual background reverb and sumptuous Kanun. Whereas the previous track was slow and methodical whilst bringing unease, ‘Glow’ is serpentine, as if the song is stretching its spine out under the rising sun. Mykalle’s voice is so gentle and low in the mix at times, it sounds like she’s singing in a different room to the rest of the instrumentation, and that focuses your mind on different elements each time you listen. The album closes with ‘Kyrie I’. This is an electronics-focused finale, using gurgly synths, reverse vocal trickery. It mixes in a little bit of everything we’ve heard throughout the album into a satisfying conclusion.

‘Da pacem’ is a fantastic album that plays with your perception of what healing and catharsis can sound like when it comes to traditional hymns and spiritual texts from different cultures. It is an album that transforms in size from headphones to speakers, too. This is because the range of volume and textures across the speakers is so vast, which means you’ll focus on different sound layers depending on the space of the room you are in. Mykalle is perfect for anyone yearning for music that merges the Gothic with the Holy. Phenomenal.

Recommended track: Kyrie I

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