Reviews for the Poets to their Beloved album, "Embrace the Fool" (Equilibrium Music, 2007): "El dúo formado por Saskia Domisse y Marcel Schiborr nos presenta su LP debut bajo el amparo del sello Equilibrium Music. Antes que nada, y sin desmerecer la labor de POETS TO THEIR BELOVED, conviene matizar que estamos ante un trabajo con una ausencia total de caña o cualquier atisbo de agresividad musical. El grupo se podría encuadrar dentro de un neofolk con inspiraciones en la música clásica. Partiendo de la aclaración anterior, hay que reconocer que, dentro de su estilo, “Embrace The Fool” es un álbum muy bien elaborado y detallista, en el que las guitarras acústicas se mezclan con melodías de cello, violín y piano, junto con una tenue base rítmica de bajo y elementos de percusión; sin olvidarnos de las dos increíbles voces, una masculina y otra femenina. Todo un compendio melódico que logra crear atmósferas que nos transportan a evocaciones melancólicas de tiempos pasados, que harán las delicias de los góticos más románticos. En definitiva, un trabajo tranquilo, pausado, lleno de sonidos evocadores y que requiere para su apreciación una cierta amplitud de miras musicales, aunque siempre nos picará el gusanillo de preguntarnos cómo habría quedado este buen ejercicio de melodía combinado con una parte más cañera." Reviewed by Felipe Delgado from REUX Magazine (2007-02-09) "In the biography of the band, you will read that the group was formed during a Brendan Perry's workshop, an important element that explains two things: the influences of Dead Can Dance (recent period) and also of the solo effort of B.P. are more than unmistakable. Last thing, the whole bases on a harmony between the music and the vocal part. “Embrace The Fool” is a real delight with a good vocal part, a sensible instrumentation, really mastered instruments and a variety in the compositions… A beautiful discovery!" Reviewed by (CX:9)CX from Side-Line Music Magazine (2007-03-05) "Newcomers Poets to Their Beloved epitomise the raison d'être approach of their label, Equilibrium Music: soft yet enchanting folk orientated music. (True, Equilibrium Music also has some martial acts on their roster such as Puissance and Arditi, as well as heathen recidivists The Moon and the Nightspirit, but their primary focus is on neoclassical folk.) This project is composed of the duo of Marcel Schiborr (guitars, percussion and vox) and Saskia Dommisse (vox, dulcimer, keys, more drums) whilst a guest provides cello and violin. Dead Can Dance is probably their biggest influence; the German / Dutch duo did meet at a Brendan Perry workshop on the Emerald Isle! Apparently, Marcel was previously involved in a number of melodeath projects, but has since completely abandoned all connection to that style. I doubt a wiser choice was ever made. The music is primarily generated through an assortment of string instruments including acoustic guitar, cello, violin and bass. Percussion is present, but rather rudimentary in comparison to their layering and use of stringed instruments. There is a strong ethereal quality to their music, but this is negligible in comparison to labelmates Hexperos and Íon. Marcel provides most of the vocals, although Saskia's are more technically perfect; however, she lacks the warmth that his voice provides. Overall, this is another neoclassical gem on the small Portuguese label and recommended for all those with a love of neoclassical, neofolk and everything in-between. (7.5/10)" Reviewed by Quentin Kalis from Chronicles of Chaos (2007-03-15) "Embrace the Fool is one of the first albums to come from Equilibrium Music this autumn, and to be honest Poets To Their Beloved couldn’t have found a better label to release their first album. I also doubt that Equilibrium Music could have found a better fitting band to add to their line-up. This is SO Equilibrium in every positive way I can think of. As I mentioned this is the bands first album, but that doesn’t mean that the musicians are making their debut. Marcel Schiborr who handles the guitars, some percussion and the male vocals has a past in the melodic death metal world. That he’s been playing advanced music before this project is pretty obvious and you should hear that already in the first track. By his side is Saskia Dommisse and I’m glad to see a woman who does more than just sing. Saskia plays dulcimer, as well as keyboards and drums. AND she sings with a great vocal span. If this isn’t enough for you many tracks have stunning violins and cellos (played by a guest called Van Herpen) in the background. Those who are into other Equilibrium artists like Dwelling and The Moon And The Night Spirit know what to expect. It’s (mostly) acoustic folk music with a strong ethereal, melancholic and romantic feeling. At times it sounds almost a bit pastoral, progressive and ritual. The latest due to the tribal percussion, that helps lifting the awesome music to yet another level. Up-tempo, pulse raising songs and slower ones are mixed and forged together with a great folklore atmosphere. As I mentioned earlier Equilibrium Music is the perfect label for Embrace the Fool, but I wouldn’t have been surprised if this album were released on Prikosnovénie. Poets To Their Beloved hasn’t missed a thing. The music is flawless, the cover art is great and so is the booklet, which includes all the personal, deep and mystic lyrics as well as photos of the two musicians. The tracks are perfect in length; not too short and not long enough to be strenuous. The male / female vocals are perfectly balanced throughout the album. But there has to be some flaws, you think. Something has to prevent Embrace The Fool from being a nine pointer or even an Eclipse? Yes. But I can’t say what, exactly. Maybe some more variation would have been possible? It’s not at all dull! But with all this instruments and talent there would have been room for more experiments, I think. Note; I THINK. Reviewing an album of this kind and not to mention the legendary band Dead Can Dance wouldn’t be fair. This band would not have existed if it weren’t for them. It’s not just probably one of their biggest sources of musical influence... this German / Dutch duo even met each other via a Brendan Perry workshop in Ireland. I can’t say anything else than thank you Dead Can Dance, for this great offspring. And thank you Saskia and Marcel for all these great tunes. Thanks to Equilibrium Music also, for releasing such a great album. It works as, at least my, soundtrack for the autumn 2007. (8.50/10)" Reviewed by CME from Evening of Light (2007-10-12) "Formed by a female/male duo who met in 2003 at a Brendan Perry's workshop in Ireland, Poets To Their Beloved, after working at distance (Marcel Schiborr is from Germany and Saskia Dommisse is from Holland) are releasing through Equilibrium Music their first album titled EMBRACE THE FOOL. The CD gathers thirteen tracks which see the duo helped out by Sjanneke van Herpen, Ramona Wandollski and Michael Braun at cello/violin, bass and guitar. The duo, fortunately, even if met at a workshop held by one half of the Dead Can Dance don't try to clone the same kind of music and, in my opinion, they succeeded into creating a personal mixture of classical and folk music where percussions and strings enrich the ballads they created. If you want to know my opinion about a Dead Can Dance influence they could have, I can hear some percussions and some steel guitar sounds similar to the really early Dead Can Dance of the MLP "The garden of arcane delights". The other similarity is represented by the alternation of male/female vocals but in any case they have different styles respect the Australian duo (only Michael remembers a little Brendan Perry). The tracks are able to craft beautiful atmospheres: the first half of the album, for example, will convince you immediately of their capabilities as the opening "Embrace the fool", "Love" and "Ecstatic dance" have three different kind of atmosphere where they switch from dark folk to energetic romantic (but with a bit of mystery) moments with ease and creativity. (4/5)" Reviewed by Maurizio Pustianaz from ChainDLK (2007-10-17) "Accordons nous une petite pause. Que chacun rentre chez soi, sans parler, sans bruit, ne pas râler sur la journée qui s’achève, ne pas grogner contre le jour qui se lève, juste apprécier quelques notes, comme « Embrace the fool » de Poets to their beloved, sans parler, sans bruit… Une rencontre autour de Brendan Perry puis un passage en Islande, il n’en fallait pas plus pour les deux membres fondateurs de Poets to their beloved pour vouloir transmettre toutes les émotions libérées par ces influences. Les voici donc toutes concentrées sur "Embrace the fool", petit bijou de douceur et de délicatesse. Loin de l’ambiant pur ou du gothic gémissant, cet album chante une véritable ode à l’apaisement. La griffe Dead can Dance demeure fortement présente, en particulier au cœur des vocaux masculins, superbes, mais qui se détachent difficilement du style du « maître » (« My moment of tranquility »). Les ambiances typiques de la formation mythique britannico-australienne se retrouvent au sein de passage plus fantastique ou médiévaux, mais bien loin d’un simple ersatz de leurs aînés, toute l’implication et l’âme des musiciens transparaît dans leur œuvre. Simplicité reste le maître mot. Album 100% acoustique, les guitares dominent, magnifiques (il y a du métier derrière l’instrument ! arrêtez vous sur « In your dreams »), accompagnées selon les circonstances de violon, violoncelle, basse, un brin de clavier et de quelques éléments de percussions. Pures, fluides, les compositions, lentes certes, mais en rien dramatiques ni larmoyantes, suivent une lignée posée et captivante (« Soul friend ») où l’excès n’a pas sa place. L’artwork sobre et élégant incite à la découverte des sonorités contenues, en bref, une qualité de réalisation et de création remarquable pour un premier album. Les vocaux féminins aériens auront tôt fait d’égarer les auditeurs au cœur d’Embrace the fool, une écoute d’où on ne ressort ni ennuyé, ni déprimé, mais aussi détendu qu’après un bain d’algues, les inconvénients (odeur et douche forcée) en moins. A conseiller aux fans de Dead Can Dance ou pour ceux en cours de traitement anti-tabac, Poets of their beloved part sur d’on ne peut plus excellentes bases, nous verrons par la suite si cette formation saura éviter le piège des album redondants. Mais quoi qu’il advienne, "Embrace the fool" laisse en tête de purs moments d’enchantement. (8/10)" Reviewed by S.Y.L. from Pavillion 666 (2007-10-25) "Un onirico miscuglio di Neo Folk e Darkwave con un elegantissimo gusto neoclassico: è questa la dimensione dei Poets To Their Beloved, duo formatosi nel 2003 dall’incontro dell'olandese Saskia Dommisse e del tedesco Marcel Schiborr in occasione di un seminario in Irlanda del celebre Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance). Entrambi avevano viaggiato seguendo i loro istinti musicali e da quel giorno gli scambi di idee si intensificarono, fino alla decisione di incidere un demo nel 2005. Il debutto discografico risale solo al 2007, poiché nei due anni di lavoro che hanno separato la prima realizzazione da questo Embrace The Fool i Poets To Their Beloved hanno cercato di migliorare la forma delle tracce, per giungere ad una competitività stilistica di notevole impatto. La musica proposta dal duo è un insieme di atmosfere malinconiche e dimenticate, ricche di sezioni avvolgenti che non disdegnano un approccio di matrice Dead Can Dance e che allo stesso tempo colorano i tessuti con le loro tinte Folk; tuttavia ciò che traspare è comunque un certo ottimismo, che sottolinea ulteriormente i contrasti presenti nel genere dei Poets To Their Beloved. La title-track è meravigliosa nel ritmo scandito dalle percussioni e nei temi disegnati sapientemente dalle chitarre classiche: su questa architettura così precisa e calibrata si innestano le voci dei due protagonisti dell’opera, che plasmano aloni arcani e carichi di misticismo. Gli arpeggi di chitarra evocano meandri lontani, a testimonianza che la formazione europea è interessata a ripercorrere inoltre la tradizione medievale, cara a tante bands del panorama Darkwave-Neoclassical; dopo la cupa e dimessa Love si arriva a Ecstatic Dance, dal sapore più tribale e meno articolato. Tuttavia è solo con My Moments Of Tranquillity e The Disillusioned Nihilist che si riesce a comprendere la potenzialità intrinseca alle soluzioni adottate dai Poets To Their Beloved, e cioè un’estrema facilità nello scrivere pezzi semplici ed eterei al tempo stesso. Sarebbe riduttivo fermarsi su ogni episodio che compone questa piccola perla del panorama oscuro, perché solo chi si addentra in un ascolto meditato e calmo può percepire tutte le sfumature di un album così variegato e ricercato. In definitiva si consiglia Embrace The Fool a coloro che, dopo aver assorbito le sperimentazioni ottantiane dei Dead Can Dance, sentono il desiderio di continuare sulla scia lasciata da Lisa Gerrard e da Brendan Perry, accogliendo un feeling più squisitamente Neo Folk. L’esordio dei Poets To Their Beloved va difatti oltre i tipici canoni del genere neoclassico, non conservando addirittura i pianoforti gotici che solitamente accompagnano le suadenti voci femminili: le tastiere in Embrace The Fool sono rese parte di un contesto che vede in primo piano gli strumenti acustici, per una resa particolare e davvero meritevole." Reviewed by Edoardo Baldini from RockLine.it (2007-10-25) "Fruit de la rencontre de deux musiciens lors d’un workshop de Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) en Irlande, Poets To Their Beloved livre ici son premier album “Embrace The Fool”, recueil Neo Folk aux influences bien digérées. Enfin presque… Bien entendu l’ombre du barbu maître plane sur ces treize titres (et en particulier sur “Embrace The Fool”, “Ecstatic Dance”, ou le nébuleux “Traveller Of Stars”) qui fait pleurer les cordes (guitares, violons, violoncelles…) sur un lit de percussions protecteur à la sauce World. Les voix sublimes de Marcel Schiborr et Saskia Dommisse s’entrelacent comme deux âmes en peine venues se recueillir sur quelque berge d’un idéal romantique à jamais perdu. Amoureux transis fous de désespoir pour cette mystérieuse créature que vous visitez dans vos songes, voici la bande sonore parfaite à vos rêveries nocturnes (”In Your Dreams” et tu pleures…). Ceux qui connaissent Dead Can Dance de “Within The Realm Of A Dying Sun” jusqu’à “Into The Labyrinth” auront une image très nette de la musique du duo. S’éloignant parfois des sentiers battus par son illustre aîné, la musique de Poets To Their Beloved perd alors en densité, un peu trop embourbé dans les clichés de la chanson triste (”The Disilusioned Nihilist “, “Ode On Melancholy” et quelques autres) mais ce petit manque de personnalité est contrebalancé par l’exécution menée main de maître par les deux musiciens (mention spéciale aux guitares). Le principal reproche qu’on peut donc faire à cet album est, vous l’aurez compris futés comme vous êtes, sa fragile identité. Le titre de clôture “Soul Friend” est cependant de très bon augure pour le futur du groupe s’il continue d’explorer cette voix nettement plus habitée. Pour tous les amateurs de Neo Folk aux accents follement romantiques et les nostalgiques de Dead Can Dance, cet album est incontournable. Pour les autres “Embrace The Fool” est matière à une relaxation fort agréable que je savoure en ce moment même nu sous ma toge. Le verdict définitif attendra le prochain album, en attendant, allez en paix nobles troubadours… (7/10)" Reviewed by Simon from emofag (2007-10-29) "Questo gruppo mi ha colpito subito fin dal nome bizzarro, che lascia facilmente intuire quale sia l’ambito musicale di questi musicisti, una neo classica con spunti folk e atmosfere velatamente gotiche. Come al solito il primo nome che viene in mente è quello dei Dead Can Dance, ma la passione per questi stili si è così diffusa che oggi sono davvero tanti a cimentarsi con queste melodie eleganti e raffinate, questa abbondanza ha portato ad un grande arricchimento del genere che oggi presenta molte realtà di notevole interesse. Il gruppo è composto da Saskia Dommisse e Marcel Schiborr, provenienti dalla Germania e dall’Olanda e incontratisi in Irlanda ad uno stage di Brendan Perry, queste brevi note per inquadrare il disco in un contesto che ha la sua importanza. Il resto è ancora tutto da scrivere. Questo debutto si inserisce di diritto fra le novità da tenere d’occhio, fin dalla note iniziali della title track si può apprezzare uno stile personale, un folk dal sapore mediterraneo fa da tappeto ad una ambientazione carica di mistero e di malinconia. “Love” è una delle prime composizioni del duo ed è una canzone veramente intensa, dominata da una inquietudine struggente, ma anche da una dolcezza ineffabile, quasi una ninna nanna triste, ma che dona una serena accettazione. “Ecstatic Dance” è rituale e sciamanica, un po’ inferiore ai brani precedenti. “My Moments of Tranquillity” è una via di mezzo fra il secondo brano e il terzo, ha elementi folk, rituali e una vena romantica, ma con qualche spunto in più nelle linee armoniche delle voci. Troviamo grande eleganza in “The Disillusioned Nihilist”, anche se un po’ fredda, lo stesso vale anche per “Ode on Melancholy”. Con “The Golden Cage…” i nostri approdano anche a melodie medievali. Da questo punto il cd prosegue senza apportare ulteriori elementi di novità, ma si mantiene sempre ad un ottimo livello. I Poets esprimono un’estetica rigorosa, ineccepibile da un punto di vista formale, anche se in certi momenti si vorrebbe un maggiore coinvolgimento degli istinti più “carnali” se mi si può passare il termine. Embrace the Fool è un disco misurato, ragionato, composto, ma al tempo stesso complesso e ricco di sfumature, molto ben realizzato e con delle melodie davvero piacevoli. Per il futuro, però, mi piacerebbe se Saskia e Marcel dovessero lasciarsi andare un po’ di più e cercassero di coinvolgere l’ascoltatore con trame più istintive e passionali." Reviewed by GB from Rock Impressions (2007-10-30) "Embrace the Fool is the debut of Poets to their Beloved, a German/Dutch duo consisting of Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr. This first opus gathers thirteen songs, written over a four year period that followed since the duo's first meeting. Actually, they met each other at a workshop of Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance). Since both Saskia and Marcel are obviously influenced by DCD musically you can trace some influences of this act. This does not mean that it is a clone; Poets to their Beloved manage to create and obtain an own style from beginning to the end of this album. Musically this album touches different genres and can be regarded as a mixture of neo folk, ritual and ethereal elements. With the usage of acoustic guitars, cello, violin, bass and the beautiful voice of Saskia and Marcel they manage to set a romantic atmosphere. Both Saskia and Michel play the larger part of all instruments and they do it splendidly. The result are thirteen little dark tales of lust, love (lost), forgotten tales and untold rituals. Despite of the topics used there’s always a glimpse of hope present on this remarkable album. Although I can not give any favourites on Embrace the Fool this album has become a relaxed venture in the collective mind of Poets to their Beloved. If you are a fan of the genre you should definitely check this one out. (7.3/10)" Reviewed by Erik from Gothtronic (2007-11-02) "Dal comune amore per i Dead Can Dance e le poesie di Yeats nasce l'unione tra Saskia Dommisse e Marcel Schiborr duo separato dal confine tra Germania e Olanda ma estremamente aderente nel ricercare rituali atmosferici di grande spessore e profondità con la perdita dell'amore come sottofondo. Un connubio totale e invasivo che travolge l'ascoltatore ponendo enormi speranze nei confronti di quello che sapranno fare i Poets Of Their Beloved nel seguito della loro carriera. Pur essendo impossibile definirli propriamente la loro musica si avvicina alle trame del neo-folk lasciandosi attraversare da strumentazioni a corda e percussioni di vario tipo che accentuono il distacco tra i testi e la voce di Saskia e il resto di un suono amabile e avvolgente. Il romanticismo di cui sono pregne canzoni come 'Ecstatic Dance' e 'The Golden Cage Of Fateful Emotions' scalderà i vostri cuori in previsione di ambientazioni più glaciali ('I Drowned In You') e viaggi nelle stanze più remote del proprio inconscio ('Moments Of Tranquillity'). La straordinaria qualità di 'Embrace The Fool' è quella di esaltare i momenti più intimi e i particolari più semplici che accompagnano lungo il suo cammino una musica senza tempo. Non stupisce che a presentarli sia la lungimirante Equilibrium Music già apprezzata negli scorsi mesi per avere dato luce al gioiello di Duncan Patterson denominato Ión. Poesia in musica come non mi capitava di ascoltare da tempo." Reviewed by divine from Dagheisha.com (2007-11-02) "Duo Germano-Hollandais formé en 2003, POETS TO THEIR BELOVED n'a que très peu d'expérience et en écoutant "Embrace the Fool", force est de constater qu'ils compensent par un grand talent ! Basé sur des arrangements atmosphériques et reposant sur une utilisation massive de violon et autres instruments classiques, cet album est une véritable ode à la douceur et au chagrin. Transportant l'auditeur dans de bien tristes contrées, le groupe sait user de son talent de composition pour enchaîner les mélodies planantes et désespérées, et insuffler à ses chansons une profondeur bienvenue. Rajoutez à cela un chant léger et discret, une production honorable mettant en relief les différents instruments et vous obtiendrez un excellent album, beau et envoûtant. Et qui plus est bien de saison !" Reviewed by Le Scribe from metalland (2007-11-12) "Sarà capitato a molti di trovarsi tra le mani un disco di un certo genere - che sia gothic metal o power o qualsiasi altro - ascoltarlo e scoprire di trovarsi di fronte a un tipo di musica che non ha molto a che fare con quello che ci si aspettava. È il caso dei The Poets To Their Beloved, duo tedesco formato da Saskia e Marcel conosciutisi nel 2003 in occasione del workshop di Brendan Perry e rimasti fortemente in contatto dopo quell'incontro. Il 2005 è l'anno del loro primo demo e suonano assieme per la prima volta dal vivo, ma è nel 2006 che decidono di fare un passo in avanti, pubblicando su Myspace alcune canzoni di cui si accorge la label Equilibrium Music che li mette sotto contratto. Il loro primo full-lenght si intitola 'Embrace The Fool' ed è un disco molto particolare, che forse non tutti gli amanti del gothic apprezzeranno, ma del quale non si può discutere il valore. Qui non troverete chitarre heavy, batterie incalzanti o tastiere ispirate, gli strumenti protagonisti sono ben altri - in primis chitarra acustica e percussioni - anzi, alcuni possono anche sembrare inusuali ma sta proprio in questi termini la forza del loro sound, proponendo un'alternativa molto buona che si distingue da quello che tante band gothic affermate portano avanti. Ciò che manca nella loro musica è la sezione più pesante, più metal, prediligendo quella acustica - non a caso ho indicato acoustic/gothic nel genere - sicuramente più calma e riflessiva, ma senza rinunciare alle caratteristiche più tipiche del gothic, cioè le parti nostalgiche, oscure, tristi alle quali viene dato molto risalto. Basta ascoltare pezzi come "Embrace The Fool", "Love", "Ecstatic Dance" dal gusto molto folkloristico, la romantica "My Moments Of Tranquillity", "The Disillusioned Nihilist" e "Innate" per rendersi conto di ciò, melodie affascinanti e suggestive, dal sapore quasi magico, che a tratti sembrano evocare una terra lontana, incantata, l'Irlanda, dove entrambi si sono recati per allargare i loro orizzonti musicali e che è stata non solo il luogo dell'incontro, ma anche fonte di ispirazione significativa: il tutto condito da testi che spaziano da amori perduti a vecchi rituali, refrain incisivi e due voci molto belle che ora si alternano, ora cantano insieme. Questa è la prova che la musica possiede mille sfumature, che ad essa si possono apportare nuove influenze, non importa da dove esse venghano ma hanno l'importante compito di arricchire il linguaggio, di dare luogo a diverse possibilità di espressione, anche se a volte vuol dire deviare dai canoni del genere. Un disco da ascoltare, che vi consiglio se mi posso permettere, che non vi lascerà insoddisfatti dopo un primo ascolto. Poi sarete voi a decidere se dare un seguito... La sfumatura più magica e riflessiva del gothic (79/100)" Reviewed by Eleonora Novara from HardSounds.it (2007-11-15) "Een Portugees label dat uitpakt met een nieuw Duits / Nederlands duo waarvan de oorsprong terug gaat tot in Ierland. Om meer precies te zijn tot op een workshop van Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) nota bene. Hun passie voor creatie gaf, 4 jaar na hun eerste ontmoeting en een aantal demo’s, aanleiding tot hun debuut “Embrace The Fool”. Een rustig tussen neo folk en ethereal voortkabbelend album dat zich geheel overlevert aan de romantiek en mystiek van liefde en natuur (al kunnen dit ook synoniemen zijn). Leuk om weten is dat het allereerste nummer dat Saskia Domisse en Marcel Schiborr opnamen en een tijdlang virtueel tussen Nederland en Duitsland zweefde, “Love” ook van de partij is. Melancholieke violen, zachte en dromerige akoestische gitaren, rustgevende bassen en een eerder ondersteunende dan ritmische percussie vormen de ruggengraat van deze “Embrace The Fool”. De herfst is meteen het ideale seizoen voor deze romantische, beetje weemoedige composities die bij de stilte van een knapperend haardvuur de nodige rust, sfeer en mystiek in de huiskamer doen opwaaien. Dromerig en vol van verlangen ondanks alle onheil dat ons, simpele stervelingen, boven het hoofd hangt. “Embrace The Fool” is een release op zoek naar zielsverwanten, dat met titels als “Traveller Of Stars”, “Soul Friend”, “Your Eyes So strange To Me” of “The Golden Cage Of Fateful Emotions” bij liefhebbers van het zachte en sferische “gotische” werk zeker afnemers moet vinden." Reviewed by KI from Dark Entries (2007-11-15) "Poets To Their Beloved were born in 2003 from the meeting between Marcel Shiborr (acoustic guitars, keys, voices, percussions) and Saskia Dommisse (percussions, voices, keys) at a Brendan Perry’s workshop, and that’s an important evidence of what their offer wants to stir to. “Embrace The Fool” is their discographic debut, and comes out under the wing of the never tame Equilibrium Music. The shape Poets To Their Beloved give their sound is a bit off the classic Ethereal/Neo-Classical canons to give some more importance to the folk and neo folk edges that find way through struggling ballads that smell like wind touched campaigns and forgotten heroes saga. Indeed they often leave apart the dear poetic and angelic lyricness to many acts of the Ethereal scene to dedicate to the reproduction of land tied sounds, to the ancestors and their legends. The folk footstep is overwhelming in sung pieces on some linear guitar arpeggios, so simple and straight, without frills and almost dry, but where a short cut poetry, based on an almost banal daily issuing, expresses in the shapes that with time passing by go and flow into myths. “Embrace The Fool” is a very intimate work, that has nothing of the algid purity of the neo classical current, but that anyway loves going and getting to the essence of Man, and does it digging into his past and looking through a cellar of by now forgotten sensations. Close to the ambient music in a wide sense, Poets To Their Beloved offer a faraway proof from mainstream, hard to digest concerning the scene as it is featured today, but at the same time charged up with a big pathos and a true melancholy that brings back our mind to a forgotten past that only bards today remember of and can communicate. (7/10)" Reviewed by Giorgio Fogliata from Silent Scream Webzine (2007-11-15) "Meravigliosa realtà questi “Poets To Their Beloved” dal sound davvero accattivante, avvolgente ed entusiasmante. Catturano con le loro atmosfere uniche, costruite su strumenti a corde, quali chitarre acustiche, cello violino e basso, e le voci dei vocalist Saskia e Marcel rendono poesia pura ognuna di queste 13 tracce. Questo duo tedesco olandese, formatosi nel 2003 ottiene subito un crescente successo arrivando a prendere parte anche alla compilation "Lightwaves Part II” per poi firmare con la portoghese EQM Equilibrium Music, arrivando ad incidere per la medesima etichetta questo ottimo lavoro discografico. In questo “Embrace The Fool”, ci raccontano viaggi nei tempi antichi, amori perduti pensieri malinconici e vecchi rituali, offrendo tocchi di essenza spiritualistica e cantando l’amore con ottimismo e speranza. Già dalla prima traccia omonima al titolo dell’album, “Embrace The Fool”, ci accorgiamo del valore reale di questa band. “Love” ci riscalda con la voce meravigliosamente malinconica di Saskia, “Ecstatic Dance” è un rituale antico che suscita speranza. Meravigliosa poesia è “My Moments Of Tranquillity” che cattura intensamente col suo ritornello, lasciando subito traccia indelebile nella mente di chi la ascolta. Un abbraccio malinconico e sensuale è invece “The Disillusioned Nihilist” come pure”Ode On Melancholy”. Da citare poi “Fateful Emotions” di sonorità che ricordano da vicino come stile i Depeche Mode ed a mio giudizio pure i Muse. Un album d’esordio, davvero straordinario questo “Embrace The Fool”, consigliato agli amanti del gothic, sia a quelli del folk classic. Queste 13 canzoni sono suonate e cantata meravigliosamente bene, con sicurezza mi sento di affermare, sorprenderanno anche l’ascoltatore più scettico ed esigente... Buon ascolto." Reviewed by Riccardo "Riky" Primo from Metallo Italiano (2007-11-17) "Muchas veces buscamos razones a las consecuencias que acontecen en nuestras vidas; en la mayoría de los casos, la única explicación posible podemos encontrarla en las prefijadas estructuras que conforman el destino. Podríamos plantear también la probabilidad opuesta que se encuentra en el concepto de casualidad, pero en el caso de la creación de Poets to their Beloved la casualidad quedó anulada para dar paso a la actuación del primer factor. Este conjunto se formó en 2003, cuando sus dos componentes Saskia Domisse y Marcel Schiborr se conocieron en el estudio de Brendan Perry, uno de los componentes de Dead Can Dance. Ambas personalidades coincidieron en gustos e intereses, y fue en la verde Irlanda donde desarrollaron esta confluencia de influencias musicales. Poco después, cada uno de ellos volvió a su país de origen, Marcel a Holanda y Saskia a Alemania. En la distancia empezaron a experimentar con nuevas letras y melodías que intercambiaron y fusionaron, dando lugar a su primera composición, 'Love', que define a la perfección la esencia de esta banda. Como todos sabemos de sobra, el amor es el principio creador de la vida, o por lo menos eso proclaman todas las religiones, y creo que con esta base teórica en concreto estoy totalmente de acuerdo, al menos en este caso, puesto que 'Love' fue el punto de partida para una serie de canciones que se recogerían durante el año 2005 en su primera demo, con ella vinieron las actuaciones en directo que les otorgaron una humilde notoriedad dentro del panorama Neofolk. Sin embargo, esta promo no se distribuyó debidamente, a ella sólo tuvieron acceso algunas revistas musicales, y hubo que esperar dos años más hasta que el sello portugués Equilibrium Music editase por primera vez un disco de la banda. "Embrace the Fool" es el resultado de un largo trabajo fraguado en la distancia pero que transmite cercanía y pasión. En sus canciones predomina la utilización de guitarras españolas, acústicas, violines, piano, bajos y violonchelos, además de las grandiosas voces de ambos componentes. Se pueden encontrar también tres temas que ya aparecieron en la citada demo, 'Love', 'Ode on Melancholy' y 'Your Eyes so Strange to Me'. La voz de Saskia Domisse envuelve las melodías y ensalza el romanticismo que hay en ellas, las estructuras musicales que propone Marcel Schiborr ofrecen un sonido tranquilo y embriagador, muy recomendable para ser escuchado durante las noches frías de invierno. El resultado puede ser perfectamente comparado con otros trabajos de alta calidad editados por este mismo sello portugués, como es el caso de Dwelling. Recomendables resultan su tercer corte, 'Ecstatic Dance', o 'My Moments of Tranquility', en la que la voz de Marcel Schiborr nos recuerda vagamente en su entonación a unos magnos Dead Can Dance. Este Cd se presenta en formato digipack acompañado de un interesante libreto de doce páginas en el que se pueden encontrar todas las letras de las canciones que componen el lanzamiento, así como fotos de la banda y la correspondiente información de edición y producción. "Embrace the Fool" debe ser considerado como un canto al amor y la pasión, un disco delicado que no defrauda al que lo escucha. (9/10)" Reviewed by Fernando O. Paíno from Mentenebre.com (2007-11-25) "Der Song "The Invisible Dancer" des Duos Poets To Their Beloved auf dem "Lightwaves Part II"-Sampler vom letzten Jahr war sehr viel versprechend. Zu hören, dass bald ein ganzes Album folgen würde, weckte aus diesem Grund viele Erwartungen. Die Vorzeichen für das Projekt standen sehr gut, schließlich haben sich Saskia Dommisse und Marcel Schiborr bei einem Workshop von Multiinstrumentalist und Perfektionist Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) kennen gelernt. Saskia und Marcel verbindet auch noch etwas mit Dead Can Dance. Genauso wie ihre Vorbilder Lisa Gerrard und Brendan Perry kommen sie beide aus unterschiedlichen Ländern (Holland und Deutschland) und müssen so für die gemeinsame Arbeit immer die räumliche Distanz zwischen sich überwinden. Ein Umstand, der das gemeinsame Komponieren von Songs schwierig gestaltet. Der Lightwaves-II-Beitrag weckte damals eben jene bereits erwähnten Dead-Can-Dance-Assoziationen. Doch Poets To Their Beloved wollen mitnichten Lisa Gerrard und Brendan Perry kopieren oder nachahmen. Der Dead-Can-Dance-Einfluss ist zwar deutlich zu spüren, vor allem in der Instrumentierung, aber die Musik unterscheidet sich doch grundlegend. Poets To Their Beloved sind hauptsächlich akustisch ausgerichtet und konzentrieren sich vor allem auf die Gitarre. Bass, Klavier, Dulcimer und Schlagzeug werden ebenfalls von dem Duo gespielt, unterstützt von Sjanneke van Herpen an Violine und Cello. Neben Folk gesellen sich auch Einflüsse aus der Klassik in die Musik, genauso keltische oder naturmythische Tendenzen. Auch Marcels Melody-Death-Metal-Vergangenheit lässt sich in den Songs aufspüren. Einzeln oder im Duett singen Saskia und Marcel von Liebe und Verlust, Träumen und Verzweiflung. Die Stimmen der beiden klingen sehr angenehm, vor allem Saskias tiefe Stimme hat etwas sehr Besonderes. Einigen Songs merkt man an, dass sie in einem langwierigen Prozess entstanden sind. Sie klingen entweder zu gekünstelt oder unvollendet. Andere hingegen habe eine geradezu beeindruckende Ausstrahlung. Da wäre beispielsweise das sehr einfach gehaltene "Love", das nur von Saskias Stimme, Cello und der Akustikgitarre lebt und sich in tiefer Melancholie vergräbt. Übrigens ist das der erste Song, den die beiden gemeinsam geschrieben haben. Oder "My Moments Of Tranquility", dem Marcel seine Stimme leiht und das durch Melodiewechsel lebendiger klingt. Kurz vor Ende des Albums gibt es mit "In Your Dreams" auch noch einen sehr schönen Song über die Liebe. Diese drei Stücke sollen nur beispielhaft für das ganze Album stehen. Das Potential von Poets To Their Beloved ist gewaltig und von Saskia und Marcel ist definitiv noch eine Menge zu erwarten, auch wenn beim ersten Album noch nicht alles 100%ig stimmt. (4.5/6)" Reviewed by Veit from Der Medienkonverter (2007-11-30) "The debut album from Europe’s Poets To Their Beloved captures the essence of timeless poetry and romance. The CD offers a dreamy collection of songs comprised of acoustic guitars and percussive rhythms. The smooth male vocals of Marcel Schiborr are accented by the breath voice of Saskia Dommisse. Together, the two artists create a soundscape of ethereal visions. “The Disillusioned Nihilist” and “Traveller Of Stars” incorporate violin and cello to create a beautifully somber background melody, while “Ode On Melancholy” utilizes haunting piano refrains. Embrace the Fool is a blissful offering of neo-folk songs that convey an authentic sense of forlorn longing." Reviewed by Joseph Iorillo from Dark Realms Magazine (2007-12-01) "Nuno tiene bastante buen gusto y un gran criterio al momento de contratar bandas y “Poets to their beloved” no es para nada la excepción. Dúo formado en 2003 por Saskia ( voz, percusión y teclado) y Marcel ( voz, teclado, guitarra acustica, percusión y producción ) luego de conocerse en un workshop impartido por el legendario Brendan Perry ( Dead Can Dance ) . Posterior a esto, el dúo comenzó una interesante búsqueda artística y personal por Irlanda y otros lugares para así llegar al año 2005 en donde se presentaron por primera vez y realizaron un demo que fue bastante aclamado por la gente y algunas revistas especializadas lo que los llevó a recalar en la casa de Nuno: Equilibrium Music en donde lanzan este trabajo llamado “Embrace the Fool” en un bello formado digipack, que consta de 13 temas en 57 minutos de duración. La propuesta de PTTB es meramente neo folk con elementos acústicos y bastante orgánicos. Existe también un suave pero interesante trabajo vocal por parte de Marcel y Saskia, que no deja de recordarnos lo realizado por Perry y Frasier, pero con la diferencia que estos muchachos manejan fraseos, intenciones e interpretaciones bastante más suaves y tenues, que acompañadas casi siempre por una interesante guitarra acústicas marcan la distancia precisa de la leyenda australiana. Destaco también el sonido orgánico que este tipo de agrupaciones debe tener y es algo que le brinda un color y un aroma realmente agradable de percibir. No tendría asunto escuchar bandas de este estilo siendo grabadas en “The Abyss” por ejemplo, perderían toda su magia. La banda está compuesta también por: Sjanekke en cello y violin, Ramona en bajo y michael en guitarra acústica. Como siempre la producción gráfica se lleva una altísima nota y hace que el producto tenga aún más valor como un todo. Tema destacado “My moment of tranquillity”, un corte que te lleva a estos calmos días de sol, de termino del año, para reflexionar sentado sin hacer nada, apenas dejándote llevar por las suaves melodías y mensajes de paz y calma que este quinteto nos brinda. Un deleite total. Gran trabajo para una banda que tiene mucho potencial sin lugar a dudas. (7/7)" Reviewed by Sigurd from Highlands Webzine (2007-12-01) "Im bardziej zagłębiam się w artrockowy światek muzyczny, tym więcej odnajduję kapel, które naprawdę tkwią w ciągłym cieniu, reprezentowane przez często mniej udolnych wykonawców, ale cóż - nie my wybieramy gwiazdorów. Poets To Their Beloved to akustyczna formacja, założona Marcela Shiborra i Saskie Dommisse, obecnie gra w niej 5 osób, oprócz wyżej wymienionych, dołączyli: wiolonczelistka, basistka i gitarzysta, ale pierwsze skrzypce (w istocie gitary, klawisze, perkusje i wokal), grają wymienieni założyciele. Muzycznie można ich określić jako typowy akustyczny zespół, muzyków, którzy tworzą kawał dobrej roboty i to właśnie oni powinni walczyć w pierwszym szeregu o świetność tego gatunku muzyki, co chyba zauważyli również państwo z EQUILIBIUM, wydając ich pierwszy longplay - "Embrace the Fool". Na płycie zawarto to, co być tam powinno – miejscami, muzycznie, zalatuje Anathemą. Mamy pomysł na muzykę, odpowiednio dobrane instrumenty, świetny wokal, szczególnie połączenie obydwu głosów daje świetny efekt. Co ciekawe, na płycie nie ma typowego akustycznego łojenia, bicia po strunach, całość jest tak świetnie wyważona, że i bez tego tworzy niepowtarzalny klimat. Myślę, że ta płyta to początek świetnej kariery! Takich właśnie płyt powinno być więcej, więcej i więcej... (10/10)" Reviewed by Mattart from The Nocturnal Battle of Chariots (2007-12-01) ""Embrace the Fool" is the debut alubm of the Dutch/German duet after four years of preparation. The two musicians (Marcel Schibbor and Saskia Dommisse) fought against unfavorable conditions, such as distance, to share their musical visions. The music they deliver in their first album "Embrace the Fool" walks between neo-folk and romantic acoustic music. The Schibbor/Dommisse duet uses mainly acoustic instruments to recreate romantic/classical forms, which at times have a ritualistic essence. I would argue that the shorter tracks, like "Traveler of Stars" and "The Disillusioned Nihilist" are more suitable forms of expression, but longer tracks are also valuable and enjoyable (listen for example the opening self titled track). Despite there is an aura of sensitiveness, the album bears some very intensive moments. It is one of the Equilibrium Music releases that I enjoyed the most and that’s because it has an inherent strength. The combination of male and female vocals allows the record to breathe and to revive the interest throughout the record. I would add however that the number of tracks works reversibly, because after a certain time point, the repetition of the same formulas is harmful and many may get bored (especially when the music gets too mellow). Nevertheless this is a very interesting debut and hopefully the band will be able to improve their offerings in a forthcoming release. As in all Equilibrium Music releases, the album has a splendid artwork which is even more splendid on the classy package. Without second thought "Embrace the Fool" is highly recommended for the friends of this sound." Reviewed by Giannis Tsakonas from Metal Perspective (2007-12-04) "Poets to their beloved est duo germano néerlandais qui, à l’instar de Hexperos, vient de sortir son premier album Embrace the fool sur le label Equilibrium music. Composé de Saskia Dommisse et de Marcel Schiborr, nos deux artistes se sont rencontrés à l’occasion d’un workshop de Brendan Perry (Dead can Dance). Pourtant, notre duo parvient à s’écarter de l’influence de son illustre aîné et nous livre une néo folk empiétant parfois sur la dark folk, le tout marqué au fer rouge par la mélancolie. A ce titre, on appréciera les sublimes « The disillusioned nihilist » et « Ode on melancholy » où la voix de Saskia colle parfaitement à l’univers musical volontairement dépressif du duo. D’ailleurs même si les deux voix se complètent bien, j’ai une nette préférence pour celle de Saskia, funéraire et paisible à la fois, on l’imagine guider les morts en chansons sur le Styx. Les compositions font pleurer les cordes dans une débauche de romantisme hors du commun, guitare acoustique, violoncelle, violon et même hammered dulcimer s’unissent pour nous faire pénétrer au plus profond de l’âme de nos poètes. A ce titre, le morceau « Innate » est remarquable, tant dans la progression de la mélodie et des voix que dans l'arrivée du refrain en forme d’apothéose. Embrace the fool s’avère un très bon album qui annonce tout le talent de ce duo prometteur." Reviewed by Guillaume L'henaff from Khimaira Magazine (2007-12-06) "Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Shiborr meet at a workshop hosted by Dead Can Dance's Brendan Perry. They have recorded an album that reflects that influence. Their highly poetic music weaves a spell throughout. Love has a superlative melancholic lead by Schiborr and is supported by strings. Ecstatic Dance conjures up visions of satyrs and nymphs frolicking with a primitive yet stately beat. The male and female vocals complement each other. Elsewhere they sing of disillusioned nihilists and pen odes to melancholy without losing footing. Poets to their Beloved live up to their name." Reviewed by Anna Maria Stjärnell from Collected Sounds (2007-12-07) "Equilibrium Music est un label qui ne commet jamais d’erreur dans le choix des artistes qu’il intègre. Poets To Their Beloved, qui sort son premier album intitulé Embrace The Fool confirme cet état de fait. Ce duo, composé de Saskia Dommisse et de Marcel Schiborr, dont la formation remonte à 2003, a enregistré l’ensemble des instruments et des voix figurant sur leur album, à l’exception du violoncelle (Sjanneke van Herpen). Leur rencontre s’est faite lors d’un atelier avec Brendan Perry autant dire que cela laissait augurer du meilleur. Si l’influence de Dead Can Dance est évidente, il faut également reconnaître la qualité des compositions et de l’exécution des chansons. L’album est très calme, très doux, très mélancolique également. Quel que soit le titre que vous écouterez, les notes, comme autant de filets, vous étreindront, au point de vous transporter dans un état de langueur extrême. Bien sûr il y a quelques titres qui sont un peu plus rythmés que les autres, comme The Golden Cage Of Fateful Emotions. Ce calme ressenti vient en partie du fait que la guitare imprime la cadence aux chansons. Les percussions sont très en retrait et ne sont là que pour agrémenter la mélodie. Le toucher de Marcel Schiborr est vraiment magnifique sur sa guitare acoustique (Your Eyes So Strange To Me Innate, Your Soul Friend). Le chant des deux artistes est parfaitement maîtrisé et l’alternance se fait à merveille. Après une première démo en 2005, qui est écoutable sur le site internet du groupe, l’album nous révèle toute l’ampleur des capacités du groupe. Embrace The Fool est un très bel album, il faudrait être mort pour ne pas ressentir la poésie des titres et l’émotion qui s’échappent à chaque note." Reviewed by Xavier from L'Autre Monde (2007-12-20) "We introduce this long-distance duo as Marcel Schiborr of Germany and Saskia Dommisse of the Netherlands. Though they first met in 2003, this is their first official release (2007) and through the miracle of modern technology they have managed to put it all together remotely and come together just to record it at a studio in Germany over the space of just over a week. So now we have this excellent work in the form of 13 beautiful tracks bridging the gap of time and presenting us with time-honored treasures of beautiful old-world style ethereal music. While the influences from bands like Dead Can Dance are very apparent, it is also very clear that they have been able to write and compose their own music that is very much their own style that will be easily recognized over the years. This album is a true treasure with pieces featuring male and female vocals, sometimes mixed, sometimes solo, sometimes harmonized but always beautiful and memorable. I was first introduced to this group with their selection "The Invisible Dancer" from the Lightwaves Part II compilation from Kalinkaland Records. That was a mesmerizing piece and now we have an entire album of these selections to choose from. Once again as I sit down and listen to the album several times over I try to pick it apart and put it all back together again in my mind, imagining all of the instruments being played, which are many with the inclusion of several guest musicians. But when you get right down to it, for me it's the beauty in several of the pieces that stand out and catch my ear. "Ecstatic Dance" is probably my favorite from this disc, though I don't understand the lyrics, the mixture of male and female vocals and various world instruments are captivating. The first piece (and title track) "Embrace the Fool" also stands out in much the same way, although the lyrics are in english and so understandable. This also seems to be the most like Dead Can Dance from the album, but I think that this is fine since within this genre of music it would be impossible to not be compared to that legendary band. Most of the album actually moves along with an acoustic guitar and somber beats with what you might term "normal" vocals and lyrics without the world and ethnically driven feeling and mood. Though these are all great pieces, they just don't stand out like some of these other previously mentioned tracks. As the album wends along through a somewhat meandering path of tracks like "My Moments of Tranquility", "Ode on Melancholy" and "I Drowned in You". As we get to "Traveller of Stars" that captivating quality comes out again that stands out against the rest of the material. The album starts to wind down with each new beautiful piece until we're left with "In Your Dreams" and "Soul Friend" which is a perfect way to wrap up the album, with the beauty of Saskia's vocals. With that we wrap up this review and hopefully show to the world what one can expect from this disc. It's a great addition to anyone's ethereal collection and something to help replace the void left behind by the absence of groups like Dead Can Dance. (4/5)" Reviewed by Jacob L. Bogedahl from Gothic Paradise (2007-12-23) " Nati in seguito ad un incontro nel workshop di Brandon Ferry, per chi non lo sapesse una delle due menti dei Dead Can Dance, i Poets To Their Beloved, in seguito solo PTTB, sono una nuova ed interessante realtà proposta dalla sempre attiva Equilibrium Music in campo neofolk. Il duo è da Saskia Domisse, cantante di origine olandese, e Marcel Schiborr, , chitarrista compositore tedesco. Questo “Embrace The Fool” è il loro debutto assoluto, e presenta tredici composizioni per quasi un ora di musica. I PTTB propongono un melanconico neofolk basato principalmente sulle melodie chitarristiche di Schiborr, le percussioni tribali di Saskia ed il continuo rincorrersi delle due voci. Perfetto esempio del loro stile è l’iniziale title-track, dove un intricata ritmica di chitarra fa da base alla voce lamentosa maschile di Marcel, vagamente ricordante quella di Mr. Cavanagh degli Anathema. Più eterea è invece quella di Saskia, che però risulta essere maggiormente utilizzata nei cori e raddoppi vocali. Una sorta di spettro degli Anathema eleggia nella seconda traccia “Love”, primo brano scritto in assoluto dal duo, dove la componente più malinconica del loro sound viene prepotentemente alla luce. C’è anche spazio per esperimenti di musica tribale in “Ecstatic Dance”, con le percussioni di Saskia davvero incisive e determinanti. Insomma, i PTTB pur mostrando uno stile abbastanza ben delineato nelle sue caratteristiche, risulta in grado di saper variare i propri contenuti, senza però rinunciare a quella traccia di melanconia e nostalgia che dona alle loro composizioni un mood crepuscolare. Il livello qualitativo è decisamente alto, con un paio di pezzi decisamente brillanti e coinvolgenti, come nel caso della title-track e “The Golden Cage of Fatefull Emotions”, anche se un grosso appunto va’ fatto alla produzione, troppo fredda ed asettica a mio parere, soprattutto nel suono della chitarra di Marcel. In conclusione, “Embrace The Fool” è un bel disco di debutto, non privo di difetti, ma sicuramente suonato e composto da persone con talento. (7/10)" Reviewed by Abyssic Hate from : Ikonen : (2008-01-20) "Poets Of Their Beloved son un resplandor lejano en tonos verdes, de profundos verdes, de belleza antigua, pagana, ritual, de notas arraigadas a la madre tierra, a un sol femenino, a una luna masculina. De brutalidad onírica, de barbarie creativa, de ferocidad sonora. El dúo de amantes formado por Saskia y Marcel, a la sazón alemanes, alemanes de viajes en post de búsquedas y encuentros, en su “abrazo a los locos” encontrados mutuamente, nos regalan trece composiciones para descansar y disfrutar de lo hayado, para introspectarse sin complejos y caminar entre preciosistas voces, de aún más preciosistas melodías, arropadas con sumo cuidado por unas sentidas guitarras de severa resonancia, acrecentada ésta con el vibrato precioso de los vientos, de la cuerda, y sin olvidar el tempo marcado de forma precisa por unas cuidadas percusiones de vieja madera y ajada piel. Todo ello en sublime coalición de melancólicas rocas, ríos y vientos. En evocador camino solitario a tiempos no perdidos, pero sí soñados. Traslado constante a un tiempo que jamás ha existido y que por ello pervive con mayor fuerza. Arpegios que descienden pausados a los rincones dormidos de vivencias ocultas en nuestra soledad, en esos lugares que visitamos para alejarnos del mundanal ruido. De manera directa y sin adorno. Espectacular tercer trabajo de un dúo germano, que se conociera en un taller musical de Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance), fundamental dato para ubicarles sin confusión metafórica. Añadir que Åkerfeldt, Trey Azagthoth y Thomas Gabriel Fisher seguro que en sus soledades, junto al fuego y el buen vino, destilan cadenciosas estas tonalidades atmosféricas y reconfortantes. Porque sólo de alguien que ha caminado por las sendas de la oscuridad y la devastación del metal más extremo puede comprender a estos amantes en su totalidad. Añadir que como siempre, como ha de ser, el cd en si es una obra de arte, de cuidad presentación en digipack, todo ello gracias a Equilibrium Music, el sello luso que está mostrando al mundo como hacer las cosas con fe y enorme cuidado, arriesgando con algo tan extremo como gratificante. Trece tonadas que son un conjunto, que son soberbio átomo… Gracias Poetas. Gracias Equilibrio. (8.5/10)" Reviewed by Rodbert Steinbruch from Friedhof Magazine (2008-01-28) "The seeds for Poets To Their Beloved were sown in 2003 when musicians Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr first met at a Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) workshop in Ireland. A musical connection was made and once they returned home (The Netherlands and Germany respectively), not even the physical distance between them was enough to slow down their creative spark. At the end of 2006, after writing songs for four years, they finally had the material ready to begin recording their debut disc Embrace The Fool which was eventually released on Equilibrium Music late in 2007. It doesn’t take long for this celebrated musical union to start bearing fruit because as soon as the acoustic guitar and pulsating percussion work kick in to accompany both Marcel’s lead vocals and Saskia’s ethereal background vox on the title track, it’s clearly evident that something magical is in the air. This track has a distinct Arabic feel as far as the basic rhythms go and it’s this influence which also permeates the third song “Ecstatic Dance”, as both Marcel and Sakia’s vocals weave in and around each other perfectly. By the time the fourth number “My Moments Of Tranquility” comes around the duo’s mission of seducing the listener into a perfect velvet cocoon, dreamlike state is complete. Marcel’s voice on this song bears a strong resemblance to that of Depeche Mode’s chief songwriter and sometime vocalist, Martin Gore. In fact his languid vocal style is the perfect companion to Saskia's beautifully rich and soaring voice. Some of the sounds on Embrace The Fool are comparable to Dead Can Dance, however Poets To Their Beloved's style is much closer to Neo Folk. The lush and haunting melodies which permeate each song are primarily created using just acoustic guitar and piano, as well as djembé, hammered dulcimer and some very nice cello work, which is performed by guest Sjanneke van Herpen on six tracks. Embrace The Fool is a superbly crafted disc from start to finish and one which you will want to listen to all the way through each time you reach for it. You can't ask for much more than that. (4.5/5)" Reviewed by Ryan Sparks from Sea of Tranquility (2008-01-30) "Equilibrium are quickly gathering much fandom as a prominent label and distributor for those beneath the radar acts more commonly referred to as neo-folk, post-industrial and dark ambient. Poets To Their Beloved are among the label's latest additions and prove that bands of this ilk still have something to offer without needing to sound like Death in June or plastering runes over everything they release. Tracks such as "My Moments of Tranquility" and "Traveller of Stars" are both sweeping atmospheres of subliminal ambience, while both cello and violin are utilised sporadically throughout the album. If criticisms must be made it would be that the vocals in places sound like those of '80 pop rejects. At least that is what could be said of male singer Marcel Schiborr, while female singer Saskia Dommisse's style fairs far better. There's also room for tribal drumming on opening title-track and closer "Soul Friend", which nods favourably to Dead Can Dance. (7/10)" Reviewed by Will Stone from Terrorizer (2008-02-01) "Separated by distance, Marcel Schiborr and Saskia Dommisse make beautiful music together. The story of Poets to Their Beloved sounds too much like a fairytale to be true. After meeting at a workshop in Ireland hosted by Dead Can Dance's own Brendan Perry, Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr traded love songs back and forth from their home countries of The Netherlands and Germany, respectively. Four years later, and the fruits of that early collaboration have grown into the duo's debut album. Given the emotional and musical intensity behind the project (not to mention the Dead Can Dance connection), it's to be expected that Embrace the Fool tends toward the melodramatic side of things, evidenced by both the titles and Schiborr's vocals on such tracks as "My Moments of Tranquillity," "Ode on Melancholy," and "The Golden Cage of Fateful Emotions," but its all done quite well, and if it's got its overwrought moments... well, what long-distance relationship doesn't? "Love," the simply titled song that started Schiborr and Dommisse's collaboration, is blissfully ethereal, with violin buzzing over intricate guitars, and "The Disillusioned Nihilist" is somehow both otherworldly and warmly human. While the influence of that initial Brendan Perry workshop shows up on the layered percussion of "Ecstatic Dance," the pair is hardly aping their influences, and Embrace the Fool has a distinctive sound all its own, driven primarily by intricate finger-picking and imbued with a faintly Mediterranean vibe that culminates in a flamenco-inspired guitar solo on "In Your Dreams." If "Innate" and title track "Embrace the Fool" highlight Schiborr and Dommisse's softer side with gentle strums and breathy vocal duets, the grit-toothed rasps of "I Drowned in You" proves that they're not afraid to explore the more ominous side of romance. The album ends on an exuberant note, however, with "Soul Friend," which starts off with the pair's signature mix of deep female vocals and rapid but softly picked notes, but then bursts joyously into rock-tinged electric guitar. Both melancholy and vibrant, Embrace the Fool is as touching as the story of its creators. Let's hope for a happy ending and many more albums to come. (3/5)" Reviewed by Matthew Johnson from ReGen Magazine (2008-02-26) "Dans le domaine musical il est parfois des rencontres magiques, des collaborations qui offrent un travail superbe et sensible, une musique qui berce vos cœurs et vous capturent avec un doux sortilège. En tous les cas, on peut dire cela d’un duo tel que Poets to their Beloved : ce duo composé de Saskia Dommisse et Marcel Schiborr est une rencontre des plus réussies. Le hasard fait bien les choses (enfin, s’agit-il vraiment de hasard ?) car ils se sont connus à l’occasion d’un atelier de travail avec Brendan Perry. Ce grand tisseur de sortilèges, qui nous a tant éblouis à l’époque de Dead can Dance avec la fée Lisa Gerrard, a donc permis la réunion de deux talents, venant respectivement d’Allemagne pour Marcel et de Hollande pour Saskia. Réunis par Brendan, les deux jeunes gens ont crée leur propre univers, compositions envoûtantes, bouquet de treize roses sombres qui embaumeront vos longues soirées d’errance solitaire. Tableau idyllique s’il en est, le bémol cependant que je me permets de glisser est que l’influence du maître reste très perceptible pour les deux jeunes gens, et que l’ombre d’une certaine Mort qui Danse plane sur leur travail. On sent l’influence de leurs illustres prédécesseurs, cependant je n’irai pas jusqu’à les taxer de manque d’originalité, d’autant plus qu’il n’y a rien de mal à s’inspirer du travail des grands. Simplement, j’attends déjà de voir si, pour le prochain album, ils pourront s’éloigner un peu plus de l’aura macabre et sublime de l’ex-duo Lisa-Brendan. Pour l’heure, ancrées dans le présent, mes oreilles s’imprègnent avec délices de l’album « Embrace the Fool ». Je dois avouer que je me suis laissée envoûter avec facilité par ces titres, tant le talent de ces jeunes gens est déjà palpable. Leurs voix s’harmonisent à merveille, rivalisant de délicatesse. Elles se posent et se fondent sur les compos folk, et chacune de ces chansons nous emmènera dans un brouillard de mélancolie, un rêve différent, une promenade méditative. Le ton est donné dès le premier morceau, titre éponyme où les notes de guitare acoustique, basse et violon forment une sombre et chaleureuse mélodie folk, avec d’abord le chant de Marcel, en alternance avec des passages chantés par Saskia qui sont tels de doux hymnes funéraires, tant une profonde tristesse s’en distille... Du spleen, de la douceur, on en trouvera plus ou moins dans tous les titres, dans certains plus que d’autres. Chaque chanson à quelque chose de bien particulier, ce qui fait que nul ennui ne viendra ternir le parcours que nous effectuons à l’écoute de « Embrace the Fool ». Par exemple, nous aurons un côté mystique mis en valeur dans la chanson « Ecstatic dance » qui, portant bien son nom, a une allure de langoureuse mélopée tribale. Le chant comme les instruments contribuent à donner un parfum ésotérique à l’ensemble. D’autres titres mettront surtout l’accent sur une profonde et obsédante mélancolie… Prenons par exemple « The Disillusioned Nihilist » ou le chant de Saskia est empreint de tristesse, le titre de cette chanson au double aspect pessimiste prend tout son sens, mais avec combien de grâce… Spleen encore et toujours dans « Ode on Melancholy », ou le chant de Marcel est déchirant de tristesse, d’amour… définitivement mon morceau préféré, qui a fait saigner mon petit cœur fragile de gothique, ce morceau qui secrète à lui seul la fameuse bile noire de la mélancolie. Tout y contribue, le chant donc, les notes de claviers, le violon… le texte bien sûr : « Please hold me, please love me, please kill me now… » Je fonds littéralement face à ce romantisme noir, eh oui on ne se refait pas… (Je suis incurable de toutes manières !) Autre surprise : un parfum temporel très médiéval, à l’image du nom du groupe évoquant subtilement le troubadour-poète à la Dame de ses pensées. Le titre « Innate » et son intro à la saveur ancienne, et aussi « I Drowned in You » : on a un peu la même idée, accentué par le chant féminin qui accompagne Marcel avec une tonalité très médiévale. La guitare électrique discrètement présente « Soul Friends » conclut l’album, en revanche, sur une note plus moderne, mais toujours folk. Voyages dans le temps, dans nos rêves, dans les contrées aussi car dans le morceau « In your Dreams » il y a un passage à la guitare acoustique qui évoque irrésistiblement l’Andalousie… Cet album est un véritable bijou sombre, vibrant d’émotions, un trésor dont vous ne pourrez plus vous passez, très vite. Pour autant bien sûr que vous aimiez la folk, le romantisme sombre, la poésie triste, et que comme moi mille frissons aient parcouru votre échine et votre cœur à l’époque où vous découvriez La Mort peut Danser, alias Dead can Dance bien sûr… Alors si comme votre humble chroniqueuse de l’ombre vous réunissez toutes ces prédispositions, n’hésitez plus : plongez-vous dans l’univers si riche de ce duo prometteur, « Embrace the Fool » est un album fait pour vous. Bon voyage… (8,5/10)" Reviewed by Lilith from Les Acteurs de l'Ombre (2008-02-28) "Il progetto Poets To Their Beloved nasce, quasi per caso, circa quattro anni fa durante un clinic di percussioni tenuto dal grande Brendan Perry dei Dead Can Dance. Il tutto avvenne nella verde Irlanda, inconsapevole teatro dell’incontro di Saskia e Marcel. Nonostante le distanze geografiche fra i due fossero notevoli, vivendo chi in Germania chi in Olanda, la collaborazione tra i due artisti portò prima alla composizione di “Love”, brano presente su questo Embrace The Fool, e poi alla realizzazione nel 2007 di questo album. Le composizioni risentono dell’influenza della musica della premiata ditta Perry & Gerrard, ma questo non è mai male, essendo garanzia di qualità. Le composizioni del duo di origine tedesco\olandese, mi verrebbe da definirle silvane. E’ un congiungersi con la natura e con i sui spiriti primordiali. La musica è una delicata carezza acustica, l’intreccio delle due voci è la chiave per un mondo che non esiste o che non è mai esistito. Rispetto ai compagni di etichetta Experos, i PTTB affondano maggiormente le proprie radici nel folk, tralasciando le influenze classiche. Il gran lavoro alle percussioni dona un’aura ritualistica al disco (ascoltate “Estatic Dance” per farvi un’idea di cosa intendo). Se amate i Dead Can Dance, i Poets To Their Beloved potranno colmare il vuoto da loro lasciato. (8/10)" Reviewed by g.f.cassatella from Raw & Wild (2008-03-15) "Poets To Their Beloved is a German-Dutch duet that is keeping ballance somewhere between neofolk (acoustic folk music) and neoclassical (with all those strings). However, it cannot be called only neofolk, because it has something more than just folk music and it is not completely neoclassical, since it is not academically strict (or pretending to be so) and much more passionate and human. Both are interested in Celtic culture and inspired by the ethereal sounds of nature and pure magic such bands as Dead Can Dance could always offer, two poets – Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr - managed to meet each other at a Brendan Perry workshop in such a lovely place for the event of that kind as Ireland. And this meeting seems to change their lives and music carreers. They managed to fight the distance and not only keep the connection but also give it a musical and lyrical form in an album – Embrace the Fool, which was issued by Portugese label Equilibrium Music as a colourful Digipack with lyrics and photos printed in 12 paged booklet. Actually when I found out that the memebers of the band met each other at Brendan Perry workshop, I became afraid to hear something that we’ve heard many times before. I was glad to hear something diferent from what I’ve expected. There’re different influences can be heard on this album. For example, oriental ones, that are frequently used this day (of course, those are exactly the way to create floating atmosphere of slight mystery) and something that sounds similar to what is called spanish guitar. Generally the album is built on string instruments, such as acoustic guitars, bass, cello, a violin and a piano (in In Your Dreams), that are accompanied by male and female soft and deep vocals. Those instruments sounding together guide a listener through ancient rituals, old civilizations, human hopes, thoughts and dreams which came true or not. I enjoyed the thing that the songs rarely have a standard verse-refrain form, the main theme goes on and turns into another one, the rhythm changes may suddenly burst into the track as fresh summer wind. Filled with dreamy moods, tender voices, soft, waving flow of sounds, painting different pictures. It may be a person sitting near the window and looking at how beautiful world is in one of its incarnations – green foliage expansion, Spring’s coming. Or it can be raining outside the window, stilling nature’s thirst. Even in those moments when the melodies seem to sound lost, melancholic, there’s still a hope can be felt. These thirteen songs look like a faery tale with an inevitably happy ending (although the 13th track sounds heavier than the rest of the album, more like a culmination demanding continuation). I would like to mark out track number 9, maybe due to this change of the rhythm I’ve already mentioned above, there’re about 4 or 5 different parts in this track, as if they have their own moods, their own meanings. There’s a special moment that starts at about 1:38. It sounds like a question to me, appearing suddenly, interfering in the ongoing tune. And besides that, this track sounds so clear and so sincere that is it difficult to simply pass by. This duo has already showed up in Kalinkaland Records compilation Lightwaves Part II and finally recorded their debut album – Poets to Their Beloved. We’ll live and see who’s going to win finally – time and distance or an urge to create." Reviewed by ZG from Heathen Harvest (2008-03-15) "Elegante, sognante, ispirato. Stiamo parlando di Embrace The Fool dei Poets To Their Beloved, il gruppo formato nel duemilatre dall’olandese Saskia Dommisse e dal tedesco Marcel Schiborr, invogliati da un entusiasmante viaggio in Irlanda. E’ proprio nella verde locazione britannica che Saskia e Marcel hanno scoperto la passione per il neo folk, genere che ha acconsentito loro di viaggiare nel tempo e di innamorarsi l’uno dell’altro, fino alla consacrazione artistica e alla gestazione discografica. Nel duemilacinque, i due, avevano racimolato materiale sufficiente per realizzare il primo demo, al quale seguirono diversi concerti e il contatto con la straordinaria Equilibrium Music, l’etichetta portoghese che licenzia esclusivamente materiale di altissima qualità, e da questa affermazione non i Poets To Their Beloved non sono esonerati. Embrace The Fool è il disco d’esordio, maturo, nostalgico e suadente; ma chi confonde codesta gemma acustica per una scialba rappresentazione della frangia gotica meno intransigente è un pazzo: qui non c’è niente che possa essere abbinato alla scena goth, si parla di neo folk d’altissima scuola supportato dallo spirito e dalla tecnica neoclassica e, nei momenti più melanconici, da zampilli di estrazione Dark Wave. Tredici frammenti mistici che, purtroppo, non sempre si mantengono sugli standard prominenti di Embrace The Fool, la traccia che cede il titolo al disco, spinta da un giro di chitarra acustica che ha un fortissimo sapore mediorientale. Per non parlare della Danza Estatica, altro fiore all’occhiello che sa avvolgere e coinvolgere grazie alla sua dimensione decadente… decadente come quella di The Golden Cage of Fateful Emotions, o quella di In Your Dreams, nuvola grigia carica d’emozioni drammatico-romantiche, interpretata magicamente da Saskia con la sua voce soave. Non riuscirete a comprenderne e ad accettare nell’immediato le loro forme complesse, ma col tempo assimilerete il messaggio dei Poets To Their Beloved, concezione di sostanza e di virtù, le cui peculiarità sono a disposizione di ben pochi eletti. E c’è tanta, tantissima passione; forse il segreto risiede proprio qui. I due poeti sapranno deliziarci anche nel prossimo futuro, è una delle tante certezze che ci regala questo Embrace The Fool, disco che ad ogni nuovo ascolto mostra nuovi dettagli che lo guidano sino al profetico stato di grazia, da ascoltare e riascoltare nei momenti più intensi della nostra vita quotidiana. E stiamo parlando di un debutto, non immagino e non voglio immaginare quello che Saskia e Marcel saranno in grado di comporre e valorizzare nel breve periodo. Giù il cappello. (7.5/10)" Reviewed by Gaetano Loffredo from Minstrel Hall (2008-03-29) " POETS OF THEIR BELOVED to kolejny błyskotliwy debiut z Equilibrium Music. Grupę tworzĄ Saskia Dommisse i Marcel Schiborr. Artyści spotkali się przypadkiem podczas warsztatów perkusyjnych. Okazało się, że łączy ich identyczna wizja muzyki, którą chcieliby tworzyć. "Embrance the Fool" to owoc ich współpracy, wielkiej pasji i radości tworzenia. Muzyka POTB to porcja niezwykle nastrojowych, melancholijnych, spokojnych dźwięków. Sami artyści określają swoją twórczość jako połączenie neoklasyki i neofolku. Moim zdaniem ich muzyka odbiega na szczęście od tego co prezentują mnożące się ostatnio jak grzyby po deszczu sztampowe formacje określane mianem neofolkowych. Muzyka POETS OF THEIR BELOVED przywodzi na myśl raczej dokonania zespołów takich jak Anatema, czy Dead Can Dance. Unikalny nastrój budowany głównie za pomocą takich instrumentów jak gitara akustyczna, skrzypce, wiolonczela, czy bass. We wszystkich utworach pojawiają się przyjemne damsko-męskie wokale. Tematyka utworów związana jest głównie z uczuciami, przeszłością, naturą i magią. Obok delikatnych, wyciszających utworów takich jak "Ode on melancholy" przy których wprost idealnie leżałoby się ciepłą letnią nocą na trawie, popijając czerwone wino, są też bardziej mistycznie brzmiące kawałki jak "Ecstatic dance". Rytm Kongo, sposób śpiewania przypominający dokonania wspomnianego D.C.D. i aura tajemniczości. Dalekie, dzikie tereny i pierwotne, zapomniane rytuały; kiedy indziej grupa prezentuje bardziej melodyjne oblicze, jak w potencjalnych przebojach "The garden cageof fateful emotions" i "My moments of tranquillity". "Embrace the Fool" to bardzo przyjemna płyta, łatwa w odbiorze. Wprost idealna jako odskocznia od wszechogarniającego hałasu i eksperymentów dźwiękowych. Do tego jest to muzyka na dobrym poziomie i jak na debiut naprawdę profesjonalna. (7/10)" Reviewed by Rebelia from Beast of Prey Magazine (2008-05-15) "На легендарном Зелёном острове, где над холмами летают эльфы, а в пабах барды слагают величественные баллады, встретились участники этого дуэта – Марсель и Саския. Видимо, Норны перемудрили немного, когда плели свои судьбоносные нити, так что случайное знакомство на музыкальном семинаре внезапно переросло в солидный проект. Для основания группы не стала препятствием и географическая дистанция между Германией и Голландией, где живут основатели POETS TO THEIR BELOVED. Музыка не знает границ, тем более, если она такая искренняя и сильная, как у этого интернационального дуэта. Тщательные аранжировки, где ощутимо доминирует акустическая гитара, приправлены легкими прикосновениями скрипки и виолончели. Мелодии в основном легки и романтичны, как и положено быть стихам, которые поэты посвящают своим возлюбленным. Но особенно мне эта группа полюбилась за прекрасные вокальные партии, волшебный голос Саскии органично дополняется своеобразным вокалом Марселя. Лучше всего у группы получаются чувственные любовные баллады, от которых порой захватывает дух, настолько сильной энергетикой они пропитаны. Иногда на “Embrace the Fool” музыка набирает дополнительные обороты, уходя в ритуально-мистические пространства, но там POETS TO THEIR BELOVED не так сильны, как в простых романтических балладах. Иногда простота – синоним лучшего. Некоторая неопределенность в творчестве этого дуэта как раз и возникает из-за неразрешённости оппозиции, о чем лучше петь – о любви и эмоциональных переживаниях, либо о древних ритуалах. У POETS TO THEIR BELOVED гораздо лучше получается именно первое." Reviewed by Triath from Stigmata Magazine (2008-05-15) "Quale occasione migliore di una gita in Irlanda per un seminario di Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) per dare origine a un duo di ethereal e folk? Protagonisti l'olandese Saskia Dommisse e il tedesco Marcel Schiborr, entrambi spinti nella verde e magica isola dal proprio istinto musicale, dove all'incontro sono seguiti scambi di idee e materiale, che li hanno portati all'incisione di un demo e ad esibirsi dal vivo nel 2005, per poi giungere quest'anno alla prima pubblicazione sulla lunga durata. "Embrace The Fool", debutto del duo nord continentale, presenta atmosfere tenui e malinconiche, fortemente influenzate dai Dead Can Dance, ricche di sezioni folk. Il contrasto tra il romantico pessimismo dark e il tradizionale ottimismo folk è apprezzabile nella sua esibizione. Percussioni e chitarre classiche disegnano temi che rendono omaggio alla tradizione medievale, le voci di Saskia e Marcel hanno in essi una forte attitudine contemplativa. I Poets To Their Beloved, con pezzi semplici e strumenti esclusivamente acustici, hanno realizzato un album di classe, consigliato a chi gradisce una rielaborazione folk della proposta dei Dead Can Dance di Brendan Perry e Lisa Gerrard." Reviewed by Stefano Serati from Sensorium.it (2008-06-01) "Alles waar een gotisch randje aan zit heeft het op één of andere manier moeilijk om in Nederland voet aan de grond te krijgen. Natuurlijk zijn er altijd kleine groepen aanhangers waarbij het wel weet te aarden, maar de aandacht voor de meer duistere muziek is beduidend groter in landen als Duitsland, Frankrijk, Italië, Polen en Portugal. Een Clan Of Xymox is in Mexico bijvoorbeeld vele malen groter dan hier, hoe raar ook. Er zit natuurlijk ook een hoop schoonheid verborgen in de duistere kant van ons bestaan. Bij de één houdt dat echter op bij goed melancholische muziek, de ander kleurt het geheel graag wat zwarter in. Zo is uiteindelijk een Nederlands-Duitse samenwerking Poets To Their Beloved uitgekomen op het Portugese kwaliteitslabel Equilibrium, waarop uiteenlopende duistere muziek ondergebracht is. Deze samenwerking bestaat uit Marcel Schiborr (akoestische gitaar, keyboards, zang, hakkebord, percussie, productie) en Saskia Dommisse (zang, percussie, hakkebord, keyboards). De twee hebben elkaar in Ierland leren kennen op een workshop van Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance). Daarna zijn ze muziek gaan uitwisselen en 4 jaar na hun eerste ontmoeting is hun debuut Embrace The Fool eindelijk geboren. Ze worden hier bijgestaan door Sjanneke van Herpen (cello, viool), Ramona Wandollski (bas) en Michael Braun (akoestische gitaar). De associatie met Dead Can Dance ligt voor de hand, maar de benadering van Poets To Their Beloved heeft ook duidelijk verwantschap met de folk muziek. Een belangrijk verschil met de genoemde band is dat de zangpartijen van beide hier meer een eenheid vormen en dat het instrumentarium veel akoestische instrumenten bevat. Saskia’s stem gaat ook dikwijls richting die woordloze, etherische van Lisa Gerrard, maar ze hanteert daarnaast ook verstaanbare meer liedjesgerichte zang die raakvlakken heeft met folkzangeressen van weleer. Marcel heeft een prachtig herfstige stem, die daar mooi bij past. Liefhebbers van Dead Can Dance en specifiek Brendan Perry, Nico, Love Is Colder Than Death, Irfan, Vas en Rajna zullen hier net zo goed hun hart ophalen als liefhebbers van simpelweg wonderschone, melancholische en feeërieke pracht! Een tijdloos, liefdevol en innemend debuut." Reviewed by Jan Willem Broek from Caleidoscoop (2008-07-04) "Born of a correspondence between musicians, "Embrace the Fool" is an imaginative, heartfelt love letter addressed to one another, to the state of loving across distances, and to the very uncertainty of being. The title track is immediately captivating, with a lively pace and catchy chorus, and is a helpful doorway into the rest of the album, which becomes more personal and emotionally raw. Bright, tranquil acoustic guitar chimes in accompaniment with Marcel Schiborr's gentle, sure voice, entwined with Saskia Dommisse's higher notes and backed by a cascade of organic percussion. It shares musical and philosophical sensibility with folk music, but is so much warmer, more intimate and human than most." Reviewed by Carolee Harrison from Gothic Beauty Magazine (2008-08-01) "La portoghese Equilibrium Music, oramai da molti anni produce alcune fra le migliori band della scena ethereal e neofolk, vedi Ataraxia, Hexperos, Puissance, Ashram. Anche con i Poets to their Beloved coglie il segno, il duo tedesco-olandese Marcel Schiborr e Saskia Dommisse, conosciutisi in un work-shop tenuto da Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance) quattro anni fa in Irlanda, ha dato vita a questo progetto che, dopo un demo nel 2005 e una partecipazione al sampler "Lightwaves Part II" uscito per la Zeitkristall, finalmente debutta ufficialmente con "Embrace the Fool", un album con impostazioni folk-ethereal e spunti celtici, dove gli intrecci vocali di Marcel e Saskia sono la caratteristica dominante del loro sound, che vede la chitarra acustica in primo piano e percussioni medievaleggianti in alcune tracce, come "Ecstatic Dance", in cui sia il cantato che la melodia ricordano il miglior GOR." Reviewed by Nikita from Rosa Selvaggia (2008-08-01) "Die niederländisch-deutsche Kollaboration zwischen Saskia Dommisse (Gesang, Percussion, Keyboards, Hammered Dulcimer) und Marcel Schibor (Gesang, Percussion, Keyboards, Hammered Dulcimer, Gitarre), die an Geige und Cello von Sjanneke van Herpen unterstützt wurden, erweist sich als äußerst fruchtbar, zumal da das einst von Dead Can Dance beackerte Feld brach liegt und sich die Kompositionen auf "Embrace The Fool" in voller Pracht aufblühen können. So lernten sich Saskia und Marcel denn auch bei einem in Irland abgehaltenen Percussion-Workshop von Brendan Perry kennen. Auch wenn Saskia nicht die gesangliche Brillianz einer Lisa Gerrard besitzt, ist es dennoch ein Ohrenschmaus, die ebenmäßigen Klanggebilde auf sich wirken zu lassen. Besonders für Fans sphärisch-rhythmischer Musik dürften die Poets To Their Beloved ein echtes Erlebnis sein." Reviewed by Frank from Ragazzi (2008-09-01) "Punto primo, Saskia Dommisse (Olanda) e Marcel Schiborr (Germania), in arte Poets To Their Beloved, sono stati ingaggiati dalla Equilibrium Music per la produzione del loro primo album. Punto secondo, nota di colore, i due si erano conosciuti ad un seminario del celebre Brendan Perry dei Dead Can Dance, il che è tutto un programma. Punto terzo, la musica che potete ascoltare su questo bel cd s'ispira sì ai DCD, ma io chiamerei maggiormente in causa i Revolutionary Army Of The Infant Jesus, pur annoverando PTTB analogie con la musica rinascimentale. Chiariti i punti di partenza, vediamo un po' meglio di che si tratta. Considerato lo spadroneggiare della chitarra acustica e delle percussioni manuali, su questo platter la presenza del folk senza il 'neo', cioè nel senso classico del termine, riveste un'importanza fondamentale, e la sua fusione con lo spirito gotico che aleggia sul progetto, se di primo acchito potrà sembrarvi bizzarra, in realtà suona molto bene, riuscendo a imprimere al lavoro un che di misterioso e incomprensibile (in senso buono, s'intende). Molto belle "My Moments Of Tranquility", leggermente acida e "Ode On Melancholy", nonché la variopinta "Your Eyes So Strange To Me", che si lascia contaminare anche da melodie arabe; non male anche "In Your Dreams", con le sue divagazioni flamenche. Nell'ultima traccia, poi, trova spazio persino una minima parentesi metal a base di chitarra distorta e batteria. È interessante notare come Schiborr si lasci andare a qualche episodica, calcolata stonatura, e in questo sembra voler citare il particolare utilizzo della voce di Tony Wakeford. Il lavoro supera abbondantemente i cinquanta minuti ma è tutt'altro che noioso, anzi lo si potrebbe definire... stranamente intrigante. (7/10)" Reviewed by 777 from Babylon Magazine (2008-09-01) "La historia de Poets to Their Beloved es una de esas historias de amor musical y cierto aire a romanticismo pagano de las que cada vez se dan menos en la música moderna. En concreto, fue en el año 2003 cuando la holandesa Saskia Domisse y el alemán Marcel Schiborr se conocieron durante una sesión en el estudio de Brendan Perry (miembro de los míticos Dead Can Dance). Pues bien, fruto de ese encuentro y de una inmediata conexión emocional y musical, ambos músicos retornaron a sus países de origen. A partir de ese momento comenzaron a experimentar con sonidos que iban desde la música neoclásica hasta el folk, pasando por el rock progresivo y la música ambient y a intercambiarlos desde la distancia, conformando así poco a poco “Love”, su primer trabajo discográfico. Poco tiempo después, la originalidad y frescura de su propuesta musical les llevó a poder reunirse para interpretar en directo los temas que habían compuesto y ganarse de ese modo una pequeña legión de fans. No obstante, no ha sido hasta hace poco cuando el grupo ha logrado dar el salto hacia una posición más ventajosa. “Embrace the Fool“ es el primer disco de larga duración editado por el grupo y llega envuelto en un aura de magia y romanticismo bastante agradable y con una propuesta musical que sin ser rompedora, sí resulta lo suficientemente original como para atraer a diversos públicos. “Embrace the Fool“ es un disco que gira en torno al amor y la pasión y cabe decir que cada una de las trece canciones que componen el disco resulta espectacular y derrocha sensibilidad. Destaca el trabajo compositivo de Poets to Their Beloved, habiendo logrado crear atmósferas y melodías ambientales de mucha calidad que son sin lugar a dudas el principal protagonista de este disco. En él, encontramos diversos elementos diferenciadores, así como una amplia gama instrumental que abarca desde los instrumentos tradicionales del folk hasta los típicos de cualquier banda de rock moderna, pasando evidentemente por los instrumentos clásicos que ayudan en todas las canciones a lograr cierto tono épico en las historias de romance que nos narran las voces de Domisse y Schiborr. Precisamente son las voces de los dos componentes del grupo otra de las grandes bazas de “Embrace the Fool“. El hecho de que no haya un único cantante dota de mayor variedad de registros al disco y permite que a pesar de la parsimonia con la que transcurren las canciones, haya cierto dinamismo. Por un lado tenemos la dulce y delicada voz de Saskia Domisse, más propia de los clásicos del neofolk, y por otro, el tono más grave, aterciopelado y varonil de Schiborr, quien posee una fuerza y expresividad muy destacable. En cuanto al contenido del disco, destacaría por un lado “Your Eyes So Strange to Me” y “My Moments of Tranquility”, dos canciones reinterpretadas para este disco y que ya apareciendo en su primera demo “Love”. En la primera encontramos uno de los momentos más épicos del disco, con unas líneas de cuerda muy bien trabajadas y unos arpegios magistrales, repletos de sutileza y emoción. Por su parte, “Your Eyes So Strange to Me” descubre el lado más ambient y oscuro del grupo, con una melodía central espiritual y pero con un contrapunto siniestro y melancólico, que permite llevar al oyente al más absoluto placer sonoro. En cuanto a las nuevas composiciones, destacaría “Estatic Dance”, un gran ejemplo de buen neofolk con tintes orientales (de hecho, comienza Marcel Schiborr cantando en hebreo); “My Moments of Tranquility”, una increíble muestra de música preciosista en la que Poets to Their Beloved dejan entrever su más que evidente relación con Dead Can Dance a tenor del etilo compositivo y la fuerza lírica de Marcel Schiborr y también “Soul Friend”, canción que cierra el disco y en la que comparten protagonismo el registro vocal de los dos miembros del grupo, acompañados en todo momento por un sonido más duro y oscuro, cercano al metal ambiental de grupos como Anathema. En definitiva, decir que “Embrace the Fool“ es un disco muy rico en sonidos, variado y complejo en el que Poets to Their Beloved demuestran ser una extraña pero bien avenida pareja musical. Ahora solo cabe esperar su siguiente disco para comprobar si la pasión desaparece o se convierte en una constante. Lo Mejor: El disco mezcla correctamente elementos neofolk, clásicos y metal. El juego de voces entre Schiborr y Domisse es genial. Excelentes atmósferas y melodías envolventes. Lo Peor: Hay un par de temas algo más flojos. (82/100)" Reviewed by Jairo Ramos from Zona-Zero.net (2008-09-02) "Nachdem Arturek die „Poets to their Beloved“ ja bereits im Interview vorgestellt hat, sei hier noch einmal ein näherer Blick auf deren Debutalbum „Embrace the Fool“ geworfen. Wie Multiinstrumentalist und Songwriter Marcel ja bereits im Interview verriet, lernte er seine musikalische Partnerin Saskia Dommisse in Irland auf einem Percussion-Workshop kennen, der von niemand anderem als Dead Can Dance-Urgestein Brandan Perry veranstaltet wurde. Wer mit der Musik von Dead Can Dance auch nur ein wenig vertraut ist, wird besonders im Bereich der Percussion, aber auch in einigen Melodien den Eindruck erkennen, den die Formation bei Poets to their Beloved hinterlassen hat. Auf dieser Basis aufbauend finden die Poets jedoch ihre eigene kleine Niche und erarbeiten auf „Embrace the Fool“ eine interessantes Klangbild, das sich von traurigen Akustiksongs („My Moments of Tranquillity“, „I drowned in you“) über mal orientalisch, mal keltisch angehauchte Folklore (z.B. „Embrace the Fool“) bis hin zu ritualistisch anmutender Worldmusic („Ecstatic Dance“) bewegt. Selbst Erinnerungen an Akustiksongs à la Blind Guardian lassen sich bisweilen nicht ignorieren („The Golden Cage of Fateful Emotions“, „Innate“), so dass vielleicht auch Fans von „The Bard’s Song“ und „A Past and Future Secret“ mal ein Ohr riskieren sollten! Dargeboten wird das Ganze mit der von Marcel im Interview beschriebenen großen Auswahl an Instrumenten, einer lebhaften Percussion (- wer hätte etwas anderes erwartet, hehe…-) und den wunderschönen Stimmen Marcels und Saskias. Saskia zeigt dabei ihr Können in tiefen, wie auch in hohen Stimmlagen und Marcels warmer Gesang erinnert mich nicht nur ein wenig an den wundervollen Klargesang Tchorts (u.a. Green Carnation). Zusammen schaffen sie so die ein oder andere großartige Vokalharmonie (z.B. „Ode on Melancholy“), die ich mir auf einem zukünftigen Output noch wesentlich ausgeprägter wünschen würde! Im Gesamteindruck ist „Embrace the Fool“ ein tolles Debutalbum eines vielversprechenden Projekts, das für meinen Geschmack zwar (zum Glück) immer noch etwas ausbaufähig ist, aber nichtsdestotrotz viel mehr als nur einen Achtungserfolg darstellt! (8/10)" Reviewed by Gorlokk from Metalglory Magazine (2008-10-01) "Duo germano néerlandais, Poets To Their Beloved doit son existence à une rencontre impromptue lors d’un workshop organisé par Breedan Perry. Premier album sous la tutelle d’Equilibrium Music, "Embrace The Fool" présente un travail aussi personnel que respectable d’un point de vue strictement qualitatif. Oscillant entre le Néofolk et le Néoclassique Gothique, la musique des deux protagonistes distille mélancolie et nostalgie avec un talent certain sans pourtant méduser l’auditeur outre mesure. En effet, on ressent immédiatement une certaine inconstance quant au rayonnement émotionnel que chaque titre peut proposer. De véritables perles oniriques ("Embrace the Fool", "The Desillusioned Nihilist ", "Soul Friend", sublime épilogue) côtoient d’autres compositions nettement moins convaincantes ("Ode on Melancholy", "The Golden Cage of Fateful Emotions", "Traveller of Stars"). Aussi, les vocaux, partagés par les deux membres souffrent d’un défaut de forme qui minore considérablement le plaisir d’écoute. C’est ainsi et malheureusement que les interventions de la dame atteignent des cimes de magnificence tandis que celles de son comparse provoquent une gêne dont on se passerait volontiers. Instrumentalement et techniquement irréprochables, guitare acoustique, violons, violoncelle se partagent le tableau sonore dans une cohésion sans lacune apparente. On notera également une magnifique et saisissante envolée guitaristique sur "In your Dreams", ce qui nous conforte dans l’idée qu’il y a certainement ici une mine de diamants à exploiter ! Pourvu d’une identité artistique singulière, Il manque probablement à ce premier essai discographique certains éléments déterminants lui permettant d’être présenté comme une indéniable réussite. Malgré tout, le potentiel créatif et la sincérité d’expression irrécusables de ce duo permettent légitimement d’espérer des lendemains plus radieux. En tout état de cause et hormis les trébuchements précédemment évoqués, on restera optimiste quant à l’avenir de cette formation pour le moins prometteuse. Encouragements ! (65/100)" Reviewed by Yann Swäno from ObsküR[e] Kollektive (2008-10-01) "Das Besondere im Leben sind wohl die unerwarteten Zufälle. Das gilt manchmal für Musiker genauso wie für Kritiker. Zufall Nummer 1 ist der Kritikerzufall. Als ich das erste Mal in „Embrace The Fool“ hineinhörte, musste ich von der Atmosphäre und Instrumentierung her an die späteren Werke von DEAD CAN DANCE, wie beispielsweise „Spiritchaser“, denken. Also holte ich dieses Album mal wieder aus meinem CD-Regal, hörte es an und fühlte mich in meinem Eindruck bestätigt. Zufall?!?! Und ich hoffe sehr, man glaubt mir, dass ich vorher nur die Musik der POETS TO THEIR BELOVED gehört hatte, ohne irgendwelche Hintergründe zu den Musikern erfahren zu haben. Zufall Nummer 2 ist der Musikerzufall. Die Geschichte der „liebenden Poeten“ beginnt in Irland bei einem BRENDAN PERRY Workshop, ohne den es die POETS TO THEIR BELOVED nie gegeben hätte. Ja – und dieser BRENDAN PERRY ist gemeinsam mit LISA GERRARD der Kopf, welcher sich hinter DEAD CAN DANCE verbirgt. Doch während sich beim „tanzenden Tod“ ein Engländer mit einer Australierin vereinigte, haben wir es auch bei den POETS TO THEIR BELOVED mit einer multikulturellen Vereinigung zwischen dem musikalischen starken und schwachen Geschlecht zu tun. SASKIA SCHIBORR, eine Deutsche, und MARCEL DOMMISSE, ein Holländer, trafen sich 2003 auf der grünen Insel beim „tanzenden Todeskopf“, wo sich auf ihrer einsamen Suche nach neuen musikalischen Einflüssen ihre bis dato getrennten Wege kreuzen sollten. Hier also lag die Geburtsstunde von „Embrace The Fool“. Und damit wären wir auch schon bei einem Schlüssel-Song des Albums, der nicht nur seiner Entstehung wegen, sondern auch in seiner musikalischen Umsetzung sehr interessant ist. „Love“ war anfangs ein Instrumentaltitel, den der Holländer für seine Deutsche komponierte und einspielte, nachdem die beiden ihre verträumt-wundervolle grüne Insel wieder in die jeweilige Richtung ihres unterkühlten Heimatlandes verlassen hatten. Doch schon kurze Zeit später kehrte zwar nicht Saskia, dafür aber der Titel „Love“ wieder nach Holland zurück, allerdings mit einem Text versehen und sogar eingesungen. Hier lag der Beginn einer musikalischen Verbindung – in gewisser Weise eine Kombination aus Liebe und Tod. Das lässt natürlich einiges erwarten. Betrachtet man dazu das Booklet genauer, werden die Stimmungen der Musik bereits durch das Fotomotiv vorweggenommen. Marcel & Saskia führen den Hörer durch einen düsteren Wald ihrer musikalischen Seelen, in denen sich ein optimistischer Lichtstrahl durch die Wipfel der Bäume seinen Weg bahnt. Er verleiht dem schattigen Pfad neues Leben – genauso wie die Musik auf „Embrace The Fool“ diesem romantisch-melancholischen Bild eine klangliche Farbe verleiht. Aber auch die Anordnung der Titel sagt einiges über das Album aus. Besondere Beachtung finden dabei solche Themen wie Trennung, Melancholie oder alte Traditionen. Sofort weiß der aufmerksame Hörer, wohin die Reise geht ... ein ekstatischer Tanz, der von einer melancholischen Ode gezähmt wird, die in einem goldenen Käfig voller Leidenschaft ihr Ende findet, wo man seine ewige Seelenfreundschaft begießt, um dann in seinen Träumen zu ertrinken, damit man sich am Ende auf die Reise zu den Sternen macht. Solche Narren muss man einfach umarmen! Bereits beim ersten Hören macht sich eine gewisse Verwunderung über die außergewöhnliche Stimme von SASKIA SCHIBORR breit, die in ihrer warmen, dunklen Klangvielfalt unglaubliche Assoziationen zulässt. Einen Moment lang glaubt der Hörer an die Reinkarnation einer NICO, deren (nicht Seele, sondern) Stimme aus dem Grab gestiegen ist, dann wiederum spürt man den zärtlichen Hauch einer SALLY OLDFIELD oder das deutlich rauchigere Timbre einer MARIANNE FAITHFULL. Ich sagte es schon: Unglaublich! Übrigens hatte ich vor langer Zeit einen ähnlichen Aha-Moment, nämlich als ich die Sängerin von THIS MORTAL COIL hörte. Auch die Musik dieser leider viel zu unbeachtet gebliebenen Band weist deutliche Ähnlichkeiten zu dem deutsch-holländischen Musikprojekt auf. Besonders diejenigen unter uns, die nicht voller Entsetzen, sondern mit Neugier als ehemalige Fans von DEEP PURPLE feststellten, dass deren Gitarrist plötzlich mit seiner großen Liebe mittelalterliche Ausflüge in die musikalische Nacht unternahm, sind hier bestens aufgehoben! Das ist eben Musik für Schöngeister ohne diese schrecklichen Todesvisionen, die uns so einige Sarg-Penner unter dem Begriff „Gothic“ als die satanische Erleuchtung verkaufen wollen. Stattdessen kommen bei den Zeilen „Please hold me / Please kiss me / Please kill me“ (Ode On Melancholy) doch eher Erinnerungen an einen ganz anderen großen Poeten und sein Meisterwerk auf: HERMANN HESSEs „Steppenwolf“. Der einzige Wermutstropfen bei „Embrace The Fool“ besteht in seiner melancholischen Grundstimmung. Es passiert einfach zu wenig in der Musik, so schön sie auch sein mag, so verträumt sie auch klingt, so gefühlvoll sie auch die Düsternis musikalisch umrahmt – sie ist wie die brennende Kerze in einem stockfinsteren, zu wenig belüfteten Raum, dem sie zwar eine sanfte Atmosphäre verleiht, aber manchmal könnte sie einfach etwas mehr flackern! FAZIT: Wenn in einer Blackmore’s Night sich die Dichter an ihre geliebten Musen wenden, dann lassen sie die Toten wieder tanzen, um am Ende in den musikalischen Tiefen eines im herbstlichen Wald liegenden, von den letzten Sonnenstrahlen beschienenen Sees Arm in Arm mit all den Narren zu versinken, die noch immer die glänzende Schönheit melancholischer Musik der scheinheiligen „Schönheit“ materiellen Reichtums vorziehen. (Das war Poesie ;-) Ein Hoch auf alle tanzenden Poeten und toten Geliebten, auf alle poetischen Tänzer und geliebten Toten! (Das war konkret! Oder?)" Reviewed by Thoralf Koß from Musikreviews.de (2008-10-07)

Reviews for the Poets to their Beloved debut demo: "Poets to their Beloved's 'The Invisible Dancer' almost owns a studied indolence. Full of eastern promise, and slow moving, a la Unto Ashes, the distant female vocals rove through revolving gentrified antique sounds, moving towards a still phase of great quality and a lovely tight end." Nick Mercer 9th of October 2006 for his live journal "Poets to their beloved, existing from Saskia Domisse and Marcel Schiborr is quite a miraculous duo. After they met at a Brendan Perry workshop (Dead Can Dance of course) and discovered that their vision on music is very similar they decided that there was no other option but to work together. Saskia has a unique voice which sounds this clear and pure that it somehow knows how to get to you and sweeps you off your feet. The music itself also knows it, in an ethereal and soulful kinda way it holds your attention to keep you listening. Then you hear some Spanish guitar passing by, some djembé, keys and even some hammered dulcimer. But all of this does have the effect to remind you just a bit too much of Dead Can Dance and Arcana which results in the lacking of their own original sound, in spite of Saskia’s vocals. However, it all sounds very nice so it doesn’t really matter considering this is only a demo, at least there is a start. The catchy rhythms make you want to move and often build up the tension but never really gets to a climax. Fortunately they have only just started so there is enough time for them to learn! My favourite is first song on the disc “Common Souls” for its controlled mystery. Small minor is that it does all seem to be a bit similar to each other. I wonder what they are like live on stage. Second half of this year we can expect their first real album, I can hardly wait." Reviewed by Arthylacia from Gothtronic " The Gothic European folk style of Poets to their Beloved is expressed with mystical passion through the unique artistic perspectives of Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr.They are two tall beautiful blonde musical masters from Amsterdam and Germany with skills unparalleled by their contemporaries. They met at the third Brendan Perry drum workshop in Ireland and the rest is history in the making.The production quallity of this self recorded cd is professional.Your Eyes so Strange to Me is mesmerising to dance too in the ambience of Goth clubs. This is a demo to acquire now as it will be a collector's item in the years to follow. Be melted by the fragrant sounds of this masterpiece via their web sites." Reviewed by Atrocious Lyre from Gothic Revue " For a long time now the first demo of Poets to their Beloved is spinning in my CD-player. Mainly in the evenings, but also during daytime the sound fills the whole livingroom. Very full and clear sounds come to me mystically but still warm. Melancholy, I would almost like to say, but that's just not it. It gives birth to a feeling of "nostalgia", as if it comes from a far world (where I used to dwell or even lived) and that I've forgotten the place for so long. It has all the ingredients of a drama. A begin and an end; a clear story line with fluxes of feeling that tighten from far away and then distantly close, inevitable and emotional. The music of the Poets is filled with a distinct tension in which you would expect an explosion every second, but that just does not happen. What does happen is that the sound creaps under your skin and with a certain regularity makes the hairs stand up at the right moments. You're not cold, but you have chicken pocks. You get this feeling of nostalgia but you don't feel alone or sad, let alone melancholic. You don't understand the words, but you do recognize the language. There are 6 tracks on the CD of almost 30 minutes in total, from which the songs "Common Souls" and "Love" excel in any way. The CD tells a mystical story. I know what's it about, but I find it difficult to explain. Now and then there are some remarkable passages to define, which belong to both worlds, as well here as there... by that one forgotten spot: Take me back to our tower Where I first kissed your face Can't you see I am longing To go back to this place Once you've listened to this demo, you will agree with me that its a pity that the makers of The Lord of the Rings have never heard of Poets to their Beloved. Otherwise they could have scored an unique and "magical" soundtrack for their trilogy. For now Poets to their Beloved is a 2-headed band: Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr. They met each other at a percussion workshop in Ireland. This workshop was held by Brendan Perry (Dead Can Dance). Some sources state that this was a coincidence, but anybody who has really "heard" this demo- or will hear it, knows that this can't be true. Every form of coincidence is totally out of the question when it is PTTB concerned. At the moment PTTB are talking to Record companies about the release of their first CD which most probably will be released this year. Meanwhile their second demo is nearly ready and available soon." Reviewed by Alexander Vidakovic from Studio Artist X "Poets To Their Beloved has grown out of a chance meeting between Saskia Dommisse (Dutch) and Marcel Schiborr (German) at a percussion workshop held a few years ago by my former compatriot in Dead Can Dance, Brendan Perry, at his studio in Ireland. Prior to the PTTB collaboration, I had heard a few of Saskia's solo compositions which contained elements that I really liked, but which were underdeveloped and roughly recorded. Then she sent me the fruits of her work with Marcel, and suddenly everything had taken off. Where Saskia had been working mainly with voice and percussion, Marcel now opened out the landscape with gentle cascades of beautiful guitar work, as well as being the catalyst for the pair to go and record in a proper studio and come away with fully produced songs. The 'demo' is now a commercial release in the Poets' native lands, where it has received some highly favourable reviews and alerted the interest of a couple of labels - so I hope I am giving MyTown readers a very early intro to a project which is destined for much wider recognition. Although both sing, Saskia takes the lead with a voice which ranges from a surprisingly deep, rich and enveloping low to a graceful, ethereal high, always with a slight huskiness - perfectly suited to leading the listener through the emotional range. The instrumentation - guitars and percussion occasionally augmented by hammered dulcimer and keyboards - is generally calm and delicate on this six track offering, but I am told that the Poets intend to inject a few harder-hitting moments into their full-length debut. So, for now, if you can get your hands on a copy of this prelude, your first encounter will be with a solo piece by Saskia called 'Common Souls' in which multi-tracked vocals swirl around a slightly menacing harpsicord-like refrain and rumbling percussion. This is followed by 'Love', which introduces the extra dimension of Marcel's guitar work and arranging abilities and, PTTB have now shown their hand. The other four tracks explore similar musical territory - all the while weaving spells, painting pictures of the bleaker fringes of our world (though where beauty can still be found), and blending fragility with drama. Final track 'Your Eyes So Strange To Me' is, by some way, the most dense of the pieces and takes me deep into a dark forest before suddenly abandoning me and leaving me wondering when I will encounter the Poets again." Reviewed by Peter Ulrich for My Town "A shy Saskia Dommisse reported herself at Progwereld. After a few compliments towards our site she told us that she played in a band as well and if we could write a review for her band Poets to their Beloved and post it on our site. She also wrote that she was not sure whether the music of Poets to their Beloved would be right for Progwereld’s followers. As we all know, we from Progwereld don’t shy from experiments, so that’s why I dare to write you about the demo of Poets to their Beloved, which is totally recorded at home. Who are Poets to their Beloved actually?? PTTB consist of two people who have met coincidentally a few years ago. The former mentioned Saskia Dommisse had signed for a percussion workshop in Ireland. This clinic was held by Dead Can Dance drummer Brendan Perry. When she arrived there, she met the German Marcel Schiborr. They talked a bit, and it seemed that their musical visions were totally on one line. After nearer discovery of each other they concluded that it might be wise to record a demo together. And that’s what they did. They drove frequently from Germany to Holland to record the demo at home, which resulted in the shining disc that is now spinning in my CD-player. Why Saskia was worried about whether the demo of PTTB would be fit for a Progwereld audience is a mystery to me. I think that fans of “No Man”, the dark side of “Clannad”, “Antimatter”, the peaceful, atmospherically songs of “The Gathering” and “Paatos” and the aforementioned “Dead Can Dance” will totally enjoy this demo. It is extremely tranquil but atmospherically music, which can be best listened to with a glass of good red wine. Because this CD is evaluated in February I also have a bit of light comments on the offering. I am offered 6 tracks that more or less sound the same and together make up for 30 minutes of music. This is easy to hold on to, but I wonder if I could keep up if they would bring a CD on the market that would last an hour. The collection of songs is very dark, and it is very tempting to loose yourself in their music. Where other ‘dark’ bands like “Anathema” frequently raise the tempo and add an electric guitar, alas this is not the case with PTTB. This is of course just a choice, but it struck me that PTTB know excellently how to build op the mood, but there never is a real climax. This of course is the opinion of a reviewer who thinks he knows all about it, but also never has fulfilled this, so this has to be said as well. That the workshop has bared fruit is very obvious when you listen to this work. You can listen to beautiful passages of percussion from Saskia Dommisse’s hand that make the whole even more mysterious and add up to an even fuller sound. These passages make a good fundament on which Schiborr can build his qualities on the acoustic guitar. As mentioned before, this is a demo, which you can really not notice when it is the sound quality concerned. The whole sounds clear and pure but also very warm. Because of this it is as if the sound floats beautifully into your living room. My interest has been evoked and therefore I am looking forward to the album that should surface somewhere in 2006. I hope Schiborr will also grab his electric guitar during some of the passages to make the whole even more exciting. That Poets to their Beloved have a natural aptitude for it seems very clear to me, so that’s why I hope for a positive continuation of this demo. By the way; this demo can be ordered from the Poets to their Beloved website." Review by Sander Kok from Progwereld "Especially when it comes to newcomers you should be careful with eulogies, but this demo from Saskia Dommisse and Marcel Schiborr, who met at a workshop conducted by Brendan Perry (DEAD CAN DANCE), is an exceptional musical revelation. Ethereal sounds, in the tradition of DEAD CAN DANCE, ATARAXIA or ARCANA, characterize these six tracks. Saskia´s bewitching and very unique voice floats softly and elatedly over the atmospheric arrangements, which are run through by unobtrusive rhythms, and the melancholic mood of the songs invites you to dream and wander peacefully through fantasy-worlds, no matter if you listen to “Common Souls”, “Love”, “The Invisible Dancer”, “Ode on Melancholy (outstanding!!!), “Karma” or “Your Eyes So Strange to Me”. PTTB are predestined to sign with a label like Kalinkaland, which promote exactly this kind of music, and a contract is just a matter of time. In summer the first complete album is planned to be recorded and released, ´til then there are no excuses not to order this demo. 10/10 points" Review by Michael Kuhlen from Obliveon Webzine "Quotation: „... I met Saskia in Ireland on Brendan Perry´s Workshop. It was obvious that we had to combine our musical visions. So last year we founded PTTB and managed to bridge the distance between The Netherlands and Germany via the net. By doing this we could record our first demo quite swiftly.”I admit that I copied this quotation but why should I waste the first lines of a band´s foundation, when it comes to really important things: namely devoting yourself to the music of PTTB. You cannot do anything else in view of this quiet and emotional sound. If you take a look at bands dedicated to the so-called Emo Trip Rock (strange categories?!), or let´s simply call it “acoustic worlds”, then you won´t be surprised that PTTB follow this path. The melancholy of the demo is inconceivable and indescribable. At best comparable to bands like Tenhi, Hekate, Nine Worlds and the acoustic works of Antimatter. Their demo is a pleasure you have to devote yourself to! No music to listen to in passing or at night in your car. You can more easily bear it with a