Swiss harpist Andreas Vollenweider continues his exploration of world fusion on this ambitious, genre-blending release. In addition to the usual presence of Vollenweider's electrified harp, on which he manages to combine the instrument's lush, classical sound with unusual rhythmic effects and uncharacteristic tones, KRYPTOS boasts a range of other instruments, including flutes, synthesizer, human choruses, and a variety of percussion.
Stylistically Vollenweider draws on African influences, Greek folk songs, Celtic airs, contemporary Western classical, and dramatic film music. Vollenweider also has a soft spot for mythological themes, as on "Hermes' Wedding" and "Circulus Finalis," which recounts the travels of a hero in musical terms. Vollenweider is clearly building on his successful albums of the early 1980s with KRYPTOS, expanding the reach of his music to encompass the globe.
