The Winter of Constantinople

Steeped in tragedy and legionary heroism, this musical odyssey recreates the penultimate 1453 siege of the Byzantine capital beside the shimmering waters of the Bosphorus. A neo-classical cocktail of atmospheric keyboards, cello and pounding drums frolic alongside militaristic anthems about European imperium, hooliganism as modern warfare, vanquished heroes, Turkish hordes, architectural majesty and defiant optimism. The diverse lyrical styles and sheer breadth of instrumentation on this release make it one of the most original and captivating albums of the last few years.