Folk/Review Ian Leding - Lucifleure
Ian Leding from Detmold, guitarist, singer, and songwriter, is a gothic-folk and darkwave musician who has been active since 2010. He plays as an acoustic duo with Annie Rose on vocals and djembe, and also as a full-band lineup in a classically composed rock band. With a total of five albums and an EP, he has already built an impressive discography and played concerts in many parts of Europe.
The introspective folk album “Lucifleure” by Ian Leding transports listeners to a meditative realm where memory, location, and imagination converge. It explores intimate landscapes and feelings. Every song, particularly "Odessa," which is about yearning for uncharted territories, seems like a personal window into Leding's thoughts. “Odessa,” which was written before to the Russian war in Ukraine, has subsequently acquired a new, even prophetic significance. Its mournful resonance deepens the album's introspective tone. The common yearning for places never seen but profoundly felt is captured by Leding in this song; this yearning is now entwined with the reality of present events, making it even more devastating.
Each song in “Lucifleure” serves as an echo of Leding's inner world, making the album more of a collection of disjointed thoughts than a story. The simplicity of the record and the unadulterated, unadorned nature of his compositions—which are intensely personal yet nonetheless interpretive—are its strongest points. His sparse yet expressive acoustic compositions let his soft vocals and lyrical lyrics take center stage, lulling the listener into a state of near meditation.
Because of Leding's preference for introspection over narrative, the album has the air of a continuous personal conversation. “Lucifleure” is a captivating listen that stays with you long after the last track, providing a unique window into an artist's psyche for folk music lovers who value music as a tool for introspection. Those who are prepared to listen past the obvious will find resonance in this subtly potent music.