If one could have recorded an ancient culture, how would it have sounded? Croatian conductor Antoaneta Radočaj-Jerković and two all-female choirs under her lead pursue this question. The result is Horizon, a haunting performance of the eponymous work by contemporary composer Dalibor Bukvić. Horizon is meant to evoke the ambiance of the prehistoric Vučedol culture, which flourished between 3000 and 2200 B.C. in what is now (mostly) Croatia. And in this endeavour, it succeeds with unsettling precision: Bukvić’s work and the choirs’ impeccable performance conjure images of hermetic settlements, starry skies, pagan rituals, and an ever-present consciousness of impending extinction. An ethereal experience...

Designed to evoke the ancient Vučedol culture (3000 - 2200 BC) Dalibor Bukvić's compositions on Horizon represent an ethereal experience that is hard to shy away from.

In all fairness, it matters not that these pieces are grouped together by this ancient culture link. While it helps to flesh out the listening experience, the 7 (29 min, 47 sec) pieces stand on their own merits - either as a collective, or as stand alone tracks in their own right.

Lovers of ethereal and choral works will find much to love here. 'Songs of Reminiscence' represented a particularly otherworldly experience for me. The structure and performance was both moving and deeply rewarding. And this pretty much sums up the entire album.

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Darren Rea