Showing posts with label Luna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Luna. Show all posts

8/12/2021

World Review: Ciro Hurtado-Luna

Release Date: August 12, 2021

Label: Independent

Website

 

A lot can happen when one man picks up an acoustic guitar with a world of creativity and ideas flowing through his mind. Ciro Hurtado is one of those talented individuals that make things happen intuitively with his instrument of choice. 


Ciro Hurtado has released nine albums under his name including In My Mind, Tales From Home, The Magic Hour, Guitarra, Echoes of the Andes, Guitarrista, Los Angeles Blues, Ayahuasca Dreams, Selva, and Altiplano. Now we have Luna.

Knowing this before the beginning of the first track, created a lot of expectations for me. This is the kind of energy and excitement that comes from knowing what you are about to hear is from a polished professional. I was not disappointed for one second while listening to my maiden voyage with Ciro.

“Luna,” the title track, is a magnificent track with exceptional instrumentation from the guitar and accentuated with the grace of the flute. Those two instruments are very complimentary in an acoustic setting such as this.

“Rimac” is a wonderful display of virtuosity. It is so awe-inspiring to hear, it sounds like more than one person playing. That kind of sound just blows me away in every instance. And with that, I become very aware I am hearing something very special, that is not an everyday occurrence. Although I have had the blessings of listening to such talent for many years, my wonder and appreciation continue to grow.

“Amor en Pandemia” is very special, translated to English it is “Love in Pandemic.” The vocals are provided by the lovely vocalist Milena Salamanca while Ciro keeps the steady flow and beat of the song. This is a river of emotion and a beautiful depiction of our times set to music. There are few albums I have heard this year that have not dedicated a track or two to what we have gone through. This is all about our healing globally and the one thing that has no borders or lines in the sand, is music! Without exception, it should be all-inclusive because essentially, we are all the same desiring the same things. Music such as this helps to open the door to a clearer view of the world. That of course is my belief and other listeners will hear and feel entirely different things. This is what makes the world go round, our diversity yet a universal need for love and acceptance.

“Andean Celtic” was yet another gorgeous track with flute as the guitar’s partner. The movement of the piece is energizing and inspiring. Ciro’s playing is exceptionally fluid and elegant. He has the knack of introducing his guitar to your senses in a very inviting way. He eases you into the song as he becomes one with his instrument and the overall presentation. It is a beautiful thing to hear, feel, and absorb.

With each passing track, you feel like you are taking a journey of exploration and “Amanecer” creates that atmosphere and as you become eager to hear more, the excitement of the track builds. It is a soundtrack to whatever trip your mind, body, and spirit decide to go on. Once again, the beauty of the song and your listening experience is your choice and the music leads the way seamlessly. Every track does just that for you.

For another vocal track “Luna Llena,” which is “Full Moon” translated, is like a sweet lullaby with some great picking, and the organ is introduced here for a nice effect and backdrop. Then of course the amazing vocalizations of Milena to make it all complete.

With Luna (or the moon) as the main subject depicted on the cover art, it gives a lot of meaning to everything you will hear on this marvelous, primarily world-new age instrumental recording. As the people of the earth see the moon from where we stand, the music can bring us new perceptions and closer together because we are so interconnected wi
th the realizations that we do orbit around each other’s lives.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-New Age Music Reviews Founder
August 12, 2021

 

Tracks:
1. Camino (4:05)
2. Luna (4:58)
3. Rimac (4:58)
4. Amor en Pandemia (5:23)
5. Andean Celtic (4:07)
6. Amanecer (5:16)
7. Luna Llena (5:04)
8. Taruka (3:43)
9. Del Norte Soy (4:32)