"Someone actually gave me a copy of this cd that didn't have the "similar to Enigma/Delerium/Deep Forest" sticker on it that I later saw attributed to it. I'd say it's the closest in sound to Delerium as both bands are Canadian, except I like Mythos *much* more than Delerium (although I still prefer Enigma to any of them, ranking Mythos to the same liking as Deep Forest). It has a more classical and gypsy feel to it with beautifully blended exotic vocals - nice atmospheric but not very intense music. Mythos however, is perfect backround music for reading, taking a bubble bath, a romantic dinner, or meditating as a opposed to more energizing activities like Deep Forest is more appropriate for. Highley reccommended!"
Smooth New Age/Electronica
Gwen Kramer | Sunny and not-so-sunny California | 01/04/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am not a particularly big fan of Deep Forest though I do enjoy a bit of Enigma. I found Mythos to be smooth and relaxing with a very slight touch of darkness. What is really most impressive is the sheer technical skill of the group. The guitar is flawless and the electronic soundscapes are imaginative. My only complaint is that occassionally the vocals interfere with the mood.My favorite tracks on this album are the darkly spectral ones like "Sirens" and "the Odessy" and the simple yet haunting ones like "Introspection"It took a few sessions in my CD player to absorb the delicious layers of music but it is now one of my favorite albums and I highly recommend it."
Entrancing Canadian New Age
Veggiechiliqueen | 10/17/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I was first introduced to Mythos through the short-lived Canadian television series "Due South" which featured not one but two spinoff soundtrack CDs of Canadian talent. Mythos' "November" was on the second Due South CD and several of the songs from "Mythos" were used in various fourth-season episodes of "Due South." Mythos reminds me of Enigma, Sarah Brightman's "Dive" album, Gregorian, Deep Forest, Yanni, Vangelis, and Delerium. Mysterious choirs, floating guitar solos, prominent synth drumbeats, and multiple echo effects make you feel like you've just discovered another sonic universe full of mystery. There is an undercurrent of mystery and melancholy on some of the songs such as "November" and "Angels Weep." The female vocals are gorgeous and angelic. To me this album seems a natural extension of the synth work done on Sarah Brightman's "Dive" album, which included tracks such as "Siren", which very closely paralleled the "Sirens" track on "Mythos." Both albums are ocean-themed, featuring soothing, wavelike melodies and ethereal sopranos. This is Canadian New Age at its best. It never feels like forced "ethnic" music or beats, as do Deep Forest albums. The tracks flow smoothly into the next. I agree that it IS sometimes difficult to distinguish between the songs or to even recall a specific melody, but I use this CD for relaxation, not for choosing Juno Awards. And taken on that basis this is a wonderful CD and introduction to Mythos."
Liberating New Age Music
Clarissa | Ontario, California | 10/04/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The two Vancouver born musicians behind the group Mythos, keyboardist/pianist Bob D'Eith and guitarist Paul Schmidt, have created an album of puuuuuure bliss! Sure it might be mellow new age music but its got more of a melodic intent than similar groups like Amethystium, Tangerine Dream and Mehdi. It's mellow enough to sleep to, yes, but it's also something you can blare your stereo to with some heavy bass and percussion parts. I think that this album is wonderfully balanced between smooth instrumentals and lush, aural soundscapes that commonly feature mind-blowing vocal performanes by soprano/alto singers Annette Ducharme, Christine Duncan and Jennifer Scott. Paul Schmidt plays the guitar on songs like "La Cathedral" while Bob D'Eith plays the keyboard/piano on songs like "Motif" and "Introspection", which gives the album a classical yet sensual feel. It's on songs like "November" and, especially for me, the breathtaking "Planinata" that Mythos displays the true force of their talents. "The Odyssey" even gives the album a touch of the gothique with spanish guitar strumming and Gregorian/Mors Syphilitica-style singing. Towards the middle of the song, however, the vibe turns entirely into something you'd hear from Tangerine Dream.
Another stunning track is "Sirens", which sounds awfully alike to the song "Siren's Whispering" by Vangelis, with gorgeous, spine-tingling operatic vocals that soar over a hypnotic yet chilling classical beat. Another personal favorite is "The Nile", which has a slight Egyptian world edge to it... I also like the subtle female cooing on the closing track, "Paradox". Mythos may not be as effectively dynamic or as rememberable as Enigma or Govinda but they're certainly a joy to listen to.I highly recommend this to euphoric new age fans."
Beauty in music maximized, the Mythos way.
Vikram Ramanathan | 08/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Mythos..the name suggests the mystical. Infact that's the essence of this wonderful collection of sublime and subtle artistic expression. This is a compilation of 16 pieces of music which through a delicate and thoughtful balance of soulful guitar, haunting piano, nicely placed keyboard sounds and soothing Celtic female vocals with a enya like feel to the vocals evoke gothic soundscapes.
I always believe a useful review is one which allows you have a feel for the product being reviewed. So at the expense of being a bit verbose and long, below is my track-by-track full blooded thoughts on each track. Some evoke in me a highly personal acoustic soundscape, but this will be my own personal mental ambience, which may or may not give an of idea whether you will like this CD or not.
1) Brazil - Gothic keyboards give that ghostly edge to the music and the guitar bring some cheer into this gloomy gothic ambience before we get the female vocals singing witch like vocals.
2) June - A simple breezy crisp guitar coupled with a keyboards in the background with the cooing female vocals. Anyone will fall in love with this the first time they hear it.
3) Sunless sea - This is a piano dominated track with prominent electronic percussion. It creates in me a feeling of gothic tragedy and calmness at the same time. Like something bad is going to happen and you cant do anything about. An intense foreboding before the death to come.
4) November - The guitar here had got a sunny feeling to it like you are on beach. Very cheerful mood. The guitar tune is so lovely with the cooing and the middle-ages kind of vocals which has that earthy village Irish folksong kind of touch to it. Beautiful crystalline guitars.
6)Le Cathedral - Pure guitar solo in the classical vein. Reminds me of Bach's solo concerto pieces. It's got that baroque feel to it as the music is very fast and played with good virtuosity.
7) The Odyssey - This one gives you this gothic "Lord of the rings" kind of feel. Chants which feel like black magic chants or some evil demonic sacrificial chants are being sung in the background. All the while virtuoso guitar playing accentuates the black and gloomy feel to this piece. Dread and oncomming doom is depicted in this piece.
8) Angel's weep - The angels weeping is depicted by the soft wailing aria like vocals with airy guitars, and dollops of scarce carefully placed piano notes. When I listen to this piece I feel I am walking into the face of a strong cool breeze on a beach with the sun just about to set casting a beautiful twilight on the beach. The female does smart things with here voice box, hitting real high notes.
9) The Nile- An amazing piece which although is named the Nile, which suggests an Egyptian flavor actually turns out to be an India raga played on guitar accompanied by percussive beats
10) Motif - Short and nice piano piece which can fit right into the concert hall as a piano romanza. This piece has a very strong Yanni feel to it. Superb.
11) Sirens - A pure Aria in the classical sense with the by now very palatable Mythos musical background. Watch out for the passage on the guitars just after and before the aria passage is repeated. This guitar scoring is beau. And then this same scoring is repeated note for note on the piano/keyboard. Beautiful !!!
12) Prelude - Like the "Le cathedral", this one is pure solo guitar fit. watch out for the fast guitar frills. There is a fugue like effect here as the guitar frills overlay the continuous single guitar theme going on behind giving the music that dense wavy feel to the music. This music is pure impressionistic music - kind of like, classical Debussy.
13) Introspection - gentle and beautiful piano piece. This is fit to be the andante movement of a classical piano concert. Watch out for the quick piano section where variation on the central them is undertaken.
14) Evolution - Starts of with birds chirping in the jungle. Very effervescent fizzy sound. Kind of like space age sounding. Nice cosmic ambience.
15) Premonition - cool vocals and nice piano work.
16) Paradox - The best track to end this compilation. At times feels gothic, at times sunny. Nice piano phrase interspersed with crystalline guitar with the beautiful female cooing.
Also the art work is strikingly novel and which sets just the right mystical atmosphere before listening to this CD.All most all the tracks on this CD are likeable the first time you hear them, as they all have this common haunting "mythos" feel to it.
If you are an ambient music fan, then Mythos has got to be on your collection.
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1
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