Sendelica - 2018 - Cromlech Chronicles II

(35:14; Strange Fish)

Track list:
1. Ripples of the Megaliths 18:21
2. Even Though My Mouth Is Silent 16:53

Line-up:
Peter Bingham - guitars, electronics
Lee Relfe - saxophone
Glenda Pescado - bass
with:
Cheryl Beer - Tibetan singing bowls, shaman drums, sansula, ting sha, mbira, wood blocks, Chinese gongs, shruti boxes, sanskrit chanting
Kate Riaz - cello
Jack Jackson - drums, congas
Colin Consterdine - keyboards


Prolusion.
UK band Sendelica have been quite the productive entity since they first appeared, averaging more than one studio album each year ever since they released their debut full length album back in 2007. "Cromlech Chronicles II" dates back to 2018, is the 12th full length studio production by Sendelica, and was released through UK label Fruits de Mer Records imprint Strange Fish.

Analysis.
This album is one of a few too many that have been lost in time and capacity for me, sent to me at a time when my spare time was at a premium and my writing capacity was at a low ebb. Such matters do tend to go hand in hand, and I suspect most people creating something in some manner or other will get a nod of recognition for such a description.

As far as the landscapes explored by Sendelica on this production, this is one of those albums where the band explore their more careful and delicate tendencies. Mystical, exotic and dreamladen are all words and descriptions that are appropriate here, and one might suspect that some additional inspiration to create material with such sensibilities came from the location where the album was recorded. It is, after all, a part of the album name.

The mainly instrumental landscapes crafted here come in two related guises, with two long compositions that explore different aspects of a similar core foundation. Drones, floating textures, careful instrument details and the use of folk music and world music elements are the key traits we find in both of these.

The first of these, 'Ripples of the Megalith', strikes me as a more down to Earth and organic sounding affair. Psychedelic and mystical in more of an old school and Earthbound manner. A possible soundtrack for movie footage of druids performing sacred and secret rites in older days at your nearby Stonehenge inspired constellation if you like.

The second composition 'Even Though My Mouth Is Silent' is a more careful creation in general, dominated by softer, gliding and flowing sounds and textures, with keyboards and keyboard sounding instrument details being more prominent, where vocal inspired textures as well as lead vocals also come into play, and with a mood and atmosphere that is more of the otherworldly and dreamladen variety. With a little bit of a borderline cosmic feel and presence. Like if the aforementioned druids got a response from a higher power while at their Stonehenge variety local worship site.

As always with Sendelica there is enough movement and contrast present to maintain and enhance tension throughout both of these long form compositions, even when on this occasion the material is a bit more on the meditative side of matters.

Conclusion.
How easy it is to get this album in a physical format these days I do not know, but digital versions of this production should be easy to get by if you fancy it. And those who might want to seek this one out would be those fond of psychedelic and otherworldly creations where dreamladen tendencies and folk music and world music elements are brought in to have if not defining and dominant but at least distinct roles in landscapes that probably fits inside the definition of or at least come very close to being described as ambient music.

Olav "Progmessor" Björnsen, September 2025

Links:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063315062559
https://www.fruitsdemerrecords.com/