Saat (re-issue)

Emtidi were a duo comprising the German Maik Hirschfeldt and the Canadian Dolly Holmes. Their first album was a low budget production, released in a very limited quantity on the minor Thorofon label. The music presented here was a somewhat ordinary kind of acoustic folk. Far more interesting and completely different was Emtidi's classic second album Saat, made with a solid involvement from Dieter Dierks (engineer, bass, mellotron, percussion) in the Dierks Studio, Stommeln in February 1972. Here is a complete run-down of this absolutely essential album: "Walkin' The Park" started side one - the first half of it was a quiet, lush folk song with treated acoustic guitars and electric piano, this running into a furious acid guitar solo. "Traume" was a nonsensical interlude with wordless vocals, floating keyboards, vibes and jew harp, while the long track "Touch The Sun" finished side one. For several minutes an electronically treated organ created a cosmic atmosphere similar to vintage Klaus Schulze or Ash Ra Tempel. Then the track developed into a beautiful folk ballad, which Holmes sang in her most angelic voice. "Love Time Rain", opening side two, was a short folk-rock song recalling British groups like Fairport Convention or Steeleye Span. Tile title piece "Saat" was another acoustic showcase, but far more cosmic sounding than the previous track. The concluding track "Die Reise" was the only one with German lyrics, sung by Hirschfeldt. It could be argued that the energetic sections of this track ruined the relaxed atmosphere elsewhere on the album, but otherwise it was a great track.