Artist: Oldfield, Mike
Label: Virgin Records
Released: 1978
Rating: 4.5/5
After a three-year lull, during which he composed new pieces, went to self-improvement courses and caught his breath after some seriously grueling times in his life, in which Mike Oldfield had become one of the biggest stars on the planet, he came back to the scene with a double LP that was later released on a single CD. Who knows what drove Oldfield to start attending Exegesis self-improvement courses. Maybe after an album as monumental as Ommadawn, Oldfield simply didn’t know what was left for him. He was at the peak of his powers, and anything that followed would be a letdown. Other theories say he went to those courses to get over his shyness and his fear of playing live. That explanation seems more likely, especially when I think that he didn’t go on tour after his earlier albums either, not even after the hugely successful Tubular Bells. The courses clearly helped him with a few things he had to sort out. And sort them out he did, because Incantations serves up a real feast of artistry.
The first part already hints that Oldfield hasn’t lost a bit of his old charm. It opens with a vocal chant that might remind you a little of the opening of Tarkus by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Later the strings and flutes join in and form a lovely melody. It feels like you’re listening to the backdrop of some creepy fairy tale. When the keyboards join in, the melody gains another dimension and becomes even more mystical and mythical than before. And when Mike adds his famous guitar sounds, it feels like you’re listening to something perfect. But Oldfield doesn’t like resting on his laurels, so before long he leads us down another path – the path of Native American tribal dances. The drums lay down a splendid rhythm while the keyboards add a modern sound. Then the woodwinds join in and, together with the strings, take us back into the fairy-tale world. The keyboards, guitar and bass never drown out the strings and woodwinds, every instrument is exceptionally well balanced, and together they create a kind of new-age horror story (a mix of King and Poe). Soon a new section starts on drums and synthesizer. A choir, guitar and bass join in. That makes for a richer sound, combining the traditional and the progressive. Near the end of the first part one of the earlier melodies returns, with flutes and strings in the background conjuring up a dreamy mood.
The second part begins with a longer, dreamy keyboard intro that stylistically recalls Oldfield’s later new age period. When the orchestra kicks in, we’re again witnessing a blend of new and old. The guitar chimes in briefly, first just presenting the melancholic magic on the synthesizer, then on the strings, the flute and finally on the vocals. The other instruments soon pile into the lament and create yet another magical moment. For a while the guitar takes the lead and sends us into an explosion of sound, where a sudden wave of joy in a sea of sadness releases all the built-up tension. Then African drums, synthesizer and vibraphone herald the start of the song Hiawatha, written by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. The drums, synthesizer and vibraphone create a Native American atmosphere that lingers through the whole vocal section, which is perhaps a little too long (seven minutes). There’s too little variation in the vocal part, with the acoustic guitar occasionally repeating the vocal lines, but that’s about it. It really does seem like the vocal section is too long, but maybe that’s the whole point. With its hypnotic, monotonous rhythm and enchanting singing (Maddy Prior), this part is meant to be a chant (an incantation).
The next part shocks us right away. The start is incredibly energetic, as if the music came from some medieval feast. It’s a celebration, a celebration of life. Soon this section gives way to yet another calm Native American tribal dance, played on drums, synthesizer and vibraphone. After that, Oldfield proves with yet another “European” melody how easily he can switch between styles, but before we can really get to know this section, a new melody begins, this time more modern and danceable (a word I couldn’t use very often about Oldfield’s early work). This part simply keeps up a relentless pace when it comes to swapping styles, new themes and different tempos. The interplay between guitar, vibraphone and keyboards carries us onward and lets us catch our breath after all the frenzy. But not for long, because another powerful section picks up the fast tempo and wraps up this part. I didn’t think it was possible, but this part is even better than the previous two and the best of the lot, especially thanks to the constant tempo changes, assorted styles and interesting rhythms. It’s probably one of the most varied pieces you can hear. Another plus is that no single instrument dominates, not even the trademark guitar.
At the start of the last part, we may be reminded of Ommadawn, as the harp and keyboards echo joyfully. A long vibraphone passage follows (almost a soundscape, like Robert Fripp), played by Pierre Moerlin (Gong). It once again shows Oldfield’s flirtation with new age. Luckily the strings, guitar and bass come to the rescue and bring more variety. It seems like the piece won’t go anywhere, but all of a sudden the guitar explodes with a “Wild West” theme (something you’d expect more from Ennio Morricone), as if following the wild gallop of horses. For a few moments something that sounds like a mellotron chimes in, and later the choir joins too, just to remind us that we’re not on the prairie in the nineteenth century but in Europe in the twentieth. The vibraphone shows it isn’t done yet, starting the same melody as before and leading us into “Ode To Cynthia”, a song written by Ben Johnson (not the Canadian-Jamaican sprinter, but the English poet) and sung by Sally Oldfield, Mike’s sister. When the synthesizer plays the vocal melody that comes in later, it totally takes my breath away. It’s a truly stunning section. Sally’s voice is flawless too, and honestly it has never sounded better. The album ends rather modestly, but Oldfield never liked to show off. He’s a master of refinement, and that’s a fitting way to sum it up.
On this album Oldfield again plays an incredible number of instruments. He’s also joined by a handful of world-renowned musicians. It all adds up to a very compact, flowing album despite the many different influences (Celtic folk, symphonic rock, classical, Native American music, world music, new age). The guitar is a bit less present than on Ommadawn, but that makes the album extremely balanced. No instrument dominates or overshadows another. You can tell a lot of work went into the arrangements.
With Incantations, Mike Oldfield created yet another masterpiece that, with its beauty and grandeur, almost reaches the heights of Ommadawn, only Ommadawn is a bit more focused and condensed. But you have to take into account that Incantations is a double album and twice as long as Ommadawn, so it’s no wonder a few parts are stretched too thin. Still, compared with some other double albums that had far more filler, this one only gains in standing. True, it’s not Ommadawn, but in quality it comes very close. It’s a splendid album that mixes assorted styles, unites East and West, and blends elements that seem too different to ever be combined. Yet Oldfield manages to effortlessly pull those elements together into a unified, completely unique whole.
Even though it wasn’t as successful as his previous albums, this album was the first to take Mr. Oldfield out on tour. The tour was a success all the same, and it gave rise to a double live album (Exposed). But I’ll save that for another time. Recommended.
Line-up
– Mike Oldfield: acoustic, classical, electric & Spanish guitars, bass, keyboards, synthesizer, percussion
– David Bedford: strings and choir
– Sebastian Bell: flutes
– Jabula: African drums
– Mike Laird: trumpet
– Pierre Moerlen: drums, vibraphone (4)
– Sally Oldfield: vocals
– Terry OldfieldK flutes
– Maddy Pryor: vocals
– The Queens College Girls Choir: choir
Production
Mike Oldfield
Tracklist
1. Incantations Part One (19:05)
2. Incantations Part Two (19:34)
1. Incantations Part Three (16:59)
2. Incantations Part Four (16:59)
Total running time: 72:37
