Arcadia is the sequel to Kevin Keller’s 2023 album, Evensong, and is a fascinating collection of eight original tracks that feature plainchant melodies, keyboard accompaniments and orchestrations, and live strings. Where Evensong took us on a journey through life from conception and birth to death, Arcadia takes us on a musical tour of the afterlife. Vocalist and songwriter Sofía Campoamor is the lead vocalist along with sopranos Katherine Wessinger, Danya Katok, and Wendy Baker. Sofía composed the plainchant for three tracks and Keller composed the other five. The album texts/lyrics come from biblical and liturgical sources as well as the original Latin texts Keller wrote to describe the journey through darkness and light. The ensemble includes Sarah Zun (violin), Angela Pickett (viola) and Laura Metcalf (cello), giving the album a sound impossible to put into one genre of music (I love that!!!). To give this a historical perspective, plainsong (or plainchant) was the primary form of Western Christian music until the 9th century when polyphony emerged; it is closely related to Gregorian chant. Juxtaposing melodies inspired by an ancient culture with contemporary keyboard instrumentation and a string trio makes this a unique concept project that works seamlessly. There is a beautifully-illustrated booklet available as a free download on Kevin’s website. The lyrics are there (in Latin) along with stunning illustrations and the album credits (in English). It is truly an amazing project!

Arcadia begins with “Et vidi cælum” (“And I saw the sky”) - very peaceful and serene - followed by the much livelier and more joyful “Et nox ultra” (“And night is over”). “Me solum me invenio” (“I Find Myself Alone”) goes much darker with a solitary voice backed by the sound of a pipe organ and very chilly electronic effects. “In tenebris” (“In darkness”) begins with a piano intro of rolling broken chords, a pattern that flows throughout the piece along with the strings, keyboards and voices. The ending is absolutely ominous! One of the longer pieces on the album, it’s also a favorite! “Mare, littus, flammam” (“Sea, shore, flame”) continues in a mournful but gorgeous style with voice, strings and electronic instrumentation. “In equo fugit” (“She Flees on Horseback”) begins calmly with vocals, keyboards, strings and percussion as well as some mysterious sounds I can’t identify. As it evolves, the piece becomes darker and more intense - I really like this one, too! “Et lux perpetua” (“And eternal light”) has a shimmering ambient setting that is ethereal and peaceful. The album closes with “Veni intus” (“Come inside”), a gentle lullaby that takes us to a final resting place of eternal peace.

With all of the albums I’ve reviewed over the years, I have to say that Arcadia is unique in both concept and the music. It’s a fascinating musical experience and I highly recommend it to listeners looking for something different yet spiritually and musically uplifting. Arcadia is available on Amazon (digital and CD), Bandcamp (digital and CD), Apple Music/iTunes, and streaming platforms including Spotify and Pandora.