Soul Sanctuary EP BY Antonija Pacek

 

Soul Sanctuary EP

BY

Antonija Pacek

Written by

Steve Sheppard

 

Antonija Pacek has a brand new EP out, and this cornucopia of piano delights is entitled Soul Sanctuary. Antonija has been on my musical radar for a couple of years now and in that time her piano has spawned a whole range of musical goodies, but here on this brand new release we may have seen her most fluent work as of yet.

The opening track from the release is called After All, Summer. A sprightly offering, this is the perfect summer solo piano soundtrack for that season, combing elements of a  joyful, warm, nostalgic, light, and quietly celebratory  moods. I do find the title interesting suggesting, perhaps remembering, what summer gives us after everything else has happened; there is a pleasurable feel within a processional narrative, which melts into a soft oasis of calm in the latter half of the composition.

Dew Droplets is a slower more reflective arrangement that I absolutely adore, the cascading notes are a delight to be a part of, akin to early autumn leaves dropping onto to the pianos keys in September. This piece turns the listener's attention inward and downward and into the heart space, and does so in a classic new age piano style that is beautifully played by the artist, this is so fluent and lush, it’s like the piece doesn't try to overwhelm you, it simply asks you to pay attention.

So finally to the shortest track from the release at just over two and a half minutes in duration and called To My Friends. There is something about this offering that encapsulates a family moment; it doesn't feel like a dramatic declaration of friendship, rather, it feels like a quiet musical dedication, her performance on this concluding tale is warm and beautifully played and performed, that our inner peace can perhaps be connected to the people who make us feel that we belong, in a very inspiring last arrangement from the composer.

Soul Sanctuary EP by Antonija Pacek was a thoroughly enjoyable voyage of solo piano; I found the expression and her emotional progression on all three pieces, apart from being incredibly artistic, made her music stand out, stronger that many other solo piano pieces I have heard for the last 5 years. This is why I feel strongly that Soul Sanctuary EP by Antonija Pacek will be a pleasurable success for the artist and the legions of solo piano fans across the globe.