cétieu ~ Into the Light

Into the Light is a sanctuary for soft colors. Peach, vanilla, cinnamon, the whitest of white chocolate; cétieu (Poland’s Tekla Mrozowicka) has already made our end-of-year lists and she is now one of Europe’s leading lights. Her music isn’t tainted in any way, shape or form. Everything is pure, innocent and lovely. Ambient should always be this way; unobtrusive and yet calming the body, mind and spirit, glowing radiantly whilst blanking out the petty dramas of the day. It’s one of the reasons why we listen to and love ambient music; we can escape. It doesn’t fear, it doesn’t hate. All is love.

The ambient tones are crystal clear, and they shimmer like a thousand gemstones as the sun lights upon the surface of a shallow rock pool. Slightly introverted, it lives solely for the pleasure of living, and it enjoys being alive. Everything gels together, but the piano is the true leader. It slowly skims the surface of the water garden, a secret refuge where birds can sing and gentle waterfalls can trickle and flow. Only a few may find it. The music stays in the healing light, giving relief to a bluish bruise, and with every echoing note the music glints with the yawning light of early June.

First comes “The Morning” – and the pure notes of a piano cascade gently. They chirp sporadically, imitating the lovely dawn chorus. “Into the Light” openly breathes the incredibly fresh air. The music is oxygen; a forest layered with cyan pines. Raining down a positive tone, the music is showered with affection and attention to detail. The restful ambiance is a shield that rebounds any negativity; you will only find light here. Into the Light is a giver of an EP, not a taker. There are a couple of shaded moments, but that’s only thanks to the sun’s position as it continuously dapples the leaves. An improvised affair, the music glows softly. The harder, sharper ribs of the piano melt away in the face of the creamy drone, and later the piano slowly slinks out of focus. In Poland, the ambient scene is getting bigger, and she’s at the top of its gently contoured tree. cétieu’s music lives in the light, coming close to paradise, and always smiling. (James Catchpole)

Available here