Why is music so powerful? Sure it’s there when there is the movie to score, the party to throw or the afternoon to savor, but why is it worth obsessing over? Well, for many of us, music can and will evoke emotional responses more strongly than nearly anything else. It strikes something obscure within us; something near-imaginary. But the feelings it stirs are the most real thing in the world. This is why Syntaks Ylajali is such a great album. Now consisting of Jacob Skott and Anna Cecilia, the Denmark duo have created a marvelous tapestry of sound that gives the mind of the listener plenty of space to wander. Between the carefully-crafted drums; sometimes haunting, sometimes welcoming melodies; and wavering guitars, Ylajali is not quite “bright” sounding but it isn’t quite melancholic either. Superior to the usual provender that record companies shove down the throats of so-called music “fans,” Syntaks’ latest will definitely make listeners feel a certain kind of way.

It is a bit eerie to know that this is now a duo with a vocalist and hear hardly any vocals. Cecilia’s presence is still felt all the same. It is gently suggested on the minimal, echoey and breathy “Twentytwohundred” but felt much more strongly on “Love Camp 23.” On the latter, her voice is layered and looped- creating a great sense of meatiness behind ever-present drums and steady keys. The fact remains that using her abilities more would have been a welcome addition but perhaps any more “singing” may have resulted in something less carnal. Nevertheless, Ylajali is definitely worth picking up because it is an all-to-important reminder of the importance of music and why it is something to be slaved over instead of just mass-produced.

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