Kairos Collective live | Ariadne

Review of Ariadne in New Folk Sounds

Reviews / Kreta, live album, modal music, Dutch composer / by Marius Roeting

The Thread of Ariadne is a well-known tale from Cretan mythology. With her thread, Ariadne helps her beloved Theseus find his way back out of King Minos’s labyrinth at Knossos. The modern-day Labyrinth can be found in Houdetsi, a few kilometres beyond Knossos. Here too, you can easily lose yourself—in a rich programme of concerts, workshops, lectures, music tuition and instrument making—yet never lose your way. Labyrinth is a centre dedicated to Cretan music, with the Irish musician Ross Daly serving as its guiding spirit and driving force.

It was there, in the gardens of the complex in August 2023, that Michiel van der Meulen recorded a live album with his Kairos Collective. On this occasion, the ensemble comprises Christos Barbas (ney, kaval), Giorgos Papaioannou (violin), Nikos Papaioannou (cello), Taxiarchis Georgoulis (oud), Pavlos Spyropoulos (double bass) and Sergios Voulgaris (bendir, kudüm). Van der Meulen himself plays the tambura on four of the seven pieces. Five of the seven tracks had previously appeared in studio versions on the albums Európe and Erato. As one would expect from an ensemble for which improvisation is part of its DNA, these performances differ from their studio counterparts not only in interpretation but also in instrumentation, giving them a distinct sonic character.

Another striking feature is the relatively short duration of the pieces, most of which last between four and six minutes. Only ‘The Rose and the Nightingale’ stretches to around eight and a half minutes. As a result, Ariadne feels rather brief overall. There is no doubt a reason for this, but I nevertheless found it a pity. Van der Meulen’s music has a remarkable ability to draw the listener in. You quickly find yourself captivated by his compositions and their performances, almost to the point of obsession. He carries you away on a musical flight—a journey through beauty, sumptuous sound, passion and almost devotion. He immerses you in the intricate rhythms and carefully constructed modal structures of Mediterranean music. The music radiates both joy and expressiveness, while at the same time conveying an extraordinary sense of tranquillity and contemplation.

Van der Meulen is something of a genius when it comes to composing contemporary modal music. One is almost tempted to say that he deserves to be considered for an Edison Award. His website provides background information on the music and also includes the scores for the individual pieces. The album, by the way, is available as a download only.

© 2025 New Folk Sounds

Review of Ariadne in Moors Magazine

Ariadne / Contemporary modal music

​Kairos Collective is the name of the ensemble that Michiel van der Meulen assembles to perform and record his contemporary modal music. Rooted in the modal traditions of the vast Ottoman Empire, the music often has the sound and feel of something ancient and traditional. Yet these are very much original compositions by Van der Meulen, who has already released a number of astonishingly beautiful albums.

Now there is a new live EP—although, at nearly forty minutes in length, I would hardly call it an EP anymore. Here, Van der Meulen demonstrates that he is just as capable of working miracles on stage as he is in the studio, as his music proves to be every bit as breathtaking in a live setting. The release includes two new pieces, which alone are reason enough to seek it out, but the entire recording is well worth hearing. It can be streamed in full on Bandcamp, where it is also available to purchase at a very modest price. Highly recommended!

• Kairos Collective Live – Ariadne – Contemporary Modal Music – TouMilou Music
• Listen and purchase via Bandcamp

© 2024 Moors Magazine