About Alexandria

“Alexandria is a realm of dragons and centaurs. Invisible cities of Calvino and Cavafy come to life, with Louisa’s own Madame Alchemier and Valley of Seven Keys. Other inspirations are Milton’s ‘Lycidas’, Dante’s Limbo where pagan souls dwell, 15th century music of Baixa dansa Barcelona, and novelists Ramon Perez de Ayala, Dostoyevsky, Max Frisch and Shiga Naoya. There is a strong feeling of Celtic folk heard in a dream on first & title track reminiscent of Enya. But whereas Enya’s vocals are often air-brushed into merely texture, Louisa’s remain at the forefront. Her settings too avoid obvious grand sweeps and have a more intimate quality… ‘Hide In Your Shadow’: reverb reflections of Louisa’s voice harmonise with her lead… birds and subtle keyboards remind me of Norwegian Bel Canto. ‘Belarmino’s Dictionary’ feels like a music-box ballerina. ‘Paper Door’ is intelligent pop. ‘Ariel’s Flight’ is mysterious with keyboards, distant vocals and sparse percussion. ‘The Valley of the Seven Keys’ goes into imagined realms. ‘Madame Alchemier’ is more introspective… ‘Canto IV’ builds an atmosphere of fog covered lakes. ‘The Last Centaur’ has Louisa singing almost unaccompanied then evolves into Medieval-folk…”

— Woven Wheat Whispers / Heathen Harvest webzine, USA

“Louisa’s voice is so clear, so pure, like a stream at sunrise, it may take your breath away. Some of these songs are, I’m convinced, divinely inspired… transporting the listener to other times and places and because of the passion, these became times and places that I found myself wanting to learn more about. I have already ordered my copy of The Collected Works of C. P. Cavafy!… I liken the experience of LJK’s music to that of Loreena McKennitt, whose music stimulates the listener intellectually, spiritually as well as musically. There is also a healing quality to some of the songs, that wrap you in an aural hug! Every track is a delight to be savoured over and over… Beauty, grace, passion and excellence are hallmarks of Alexandria.”

— Graham Lubin (extract of review) of Essex, Celestial Voices, June 1999, England

“Louisa John-Krol’s first CD Argo was a wonderful concoction exploring the psychologically and morally complicated worlds of mythology and poetry…. Alexandria runs along the same rivers of imagination and creativity… full of vivacious incantations inspired from mellifluous rumors from faery lands and literary world… a tasty cocktail of Myth, glimpses of Cavafy and echoes of Dostoyevsky. Louisa’s smooth voice and array of instruments are catalyst to the magic potion that gives life to mysterious characters from fringes of reality! An excellent effort by this Australian voice treasure.”

— Stavros Moschopoulos of Rome, FAO, United Nations, 1999 & Luna Kafe, August audible-edible delights, Italy

“This album is… addictive. There is not one weak moment on this CD. It opens with a lush ethereal melody with Louisa’s voice as a faerie siren. A great flute line opens ‘Contradiction is the Dragon’. ‘Canto IV’ and ‘Fortress’ are pure gems. I could go on and on about this album. Indeed, I could go on and on about all her work. Just get this CD.” 

— Robert Frank, posted at www.cdbaby.com/cd/louisa, USA

“Alexandria is sometimes eerie, sometimes dreamy and often soothing. Its ethereal folk sound comes from an echoing mixture of instruments. Adding to the atmosphere are lyrics full of mysterious story-telling.”

— Sue Barrett, Rhythms magazine, Issue 85, August 1999, Australia

“Louisa John-Krol…die Marchenerzahlerin….einer ausgfeilten Collagentechnik aus Ambient, Folk und klassischen Elementen. Ihre Kompositionen entfuhren den Horer vom ersten Akkord an in eine entspannte Folk-Eleganz mit traumhaften Soundwelten und flachig angelegten Grooves. Dazwischen kombiniert Louisa dezent feinste Breaks und angedeutete Electro-Tunes, wobei Harry Williamson (fruhe Genesis).”

— (DF) in Music/in Zide, Nr. 7 Juni 1999, Germany

“A canny fusion of ambience, folk classical… haunting music sensation… Reminiscent of Loreena McKennitt & Kate Bush, with a powerful Dead-Can-Dance-style ethnic undercurrent, Alexandria draws on John-Krol’s storytelling background, setting myth and poetry to soaring vocals… homegrown alternative to Enya…”

— Emerald Hill Times/ Melbourne Weekly, March 1999, Australia

“An Angelic Voice that beckons you to drift aimlessly in a Subconscious Delight… A definite addition to those of you that know superb Craftmanship…”

— Nicholas, posted at www.cdbaby.com/cd/louisa, USA

“eine traumhaft gelungene Fusion aus Ambient, Folk und Klassik. Musik, die Sehnsuchte weckt, dabei eine Kettenreaktion von Gefuhlen auslost… Erinnerungen an Loreena McKennitt und Kate Bush werden wach und verstromen einen Stil a la Dead Can Dance, wenn sich Louisa John-Krol auf ihren Hinterground als Marchenerzahlerin (sie gehort zur Storytelling Guild) bezieht – sie verknupft Mythen und Poesie mit ihrem schwebenden Gesang. Ihre Nahe zu Dead Can Dance ist ubrigens nicht zufallig, ist sie doch eine Bekannte von Bildhaurerin Dawn Perry, Schwester von Brendan Perry. Das Album kombiniert elektronische Sounds mit live eingespielten Instrumenten und wurde von Harry Williamson (fruhe Genesis) produziert.”

— Martz Mailorder, Germany

“Louisa’s songs are like self-contained faery tales. Extremely visual, lush, and soothing, you will find yourself transported.  I always imagine Louisa perched on a rock, deep inside a sea cave when I hear her voice! This is the fourth album I have bought of Louisa’s, and it is becoming a fast favorite.”

— Paige Cavanaugh, posted at www.cdbaby.com/cd/louisa, USA

“…Alexandria ein Album das sofort eine einnehmende Faszination bewirkt. Louisa John Krol schafft es, den Horer von seiner Umgebung vollig loszulosei und ihn sanft in ihre Welt voll Warme, Harmonie und Entspannung zu fuhren… is sie doch Marchenerzahlerin und Mitglied der Storytelling Guild… Gesang, der sich leicht wie ein Vogel in die Luft legt… Eine ideale Unterstutzung bildet die Musik, eine Fusion aus Ambient, Folk und Klassik… eines kompletten und begeisternden Werkes… Enya, Dead Can Dance, Loreena McKennitt, Hyperium’s Heavenly Voices Veroffentlichungen oder Kate Bush…”

— M.S. codemusic org. reviews, Germany

“amazing, gorgeous otherworldly music; what you’d think angels would sing. ethereal fans take note! this should be a defining album for otherworldly music. I am in love with this album…haunting… songs cascade over like swirls of water with vocals light and pure as wind.don’t think New Agey either, cause these tunes have a beat quite often, nothing washed out/watered down… great samples complement the atmosphere. Why can’t music like THIS be on the radio?

— Jackie Zalewski, posted at www.cdbaby.com/cd/louisa, USA

“She sings of the port of many peoples, Alexandria, but Louisa John Krol herself is as a port for many peoples. Her unique sound will entice the visitor to transcend the ordinary… lost in imagination’s adventures. First its the vision of this ‘port’, evocative of a romantic otherworld that tempts you to tarry awhile, then music summons images of wandering minstrels of long ago who carried myths and legends… when her clear sweet voice beckons as sirens beckoned Ulsysses, seduction is complete. You know you’re going to stay.”

— June Barnes-Rowley, author & storyteller, A Swag of Yarns magazine, Australia

“fur ruhige Momente daheim, wobei der Vergleich mit Enya m.E.eher paBt als mit Loreena McKennitt…”

— Alexander Kreit, May 1999, of Hannover, Germany

“Alexandria is an album of gorgeous ethereal folk songs… crystalline voice… dips into middle-eastern territory. Louisa John-Krol is also a storyteller: this comes out in her lyrics, fanciful, fairy-tale-ish… perfect music for dreaming. Very much in the Lisa Gerrard/Kate Bush/Loreena McKennitt vein.

— Ethereal Lad, Live Journal & Ectoguide, USA

“…on a clear, star-filled night, Alexandria was playing on the Ardfern penninsular, off the Mull of Kintyre at the Westernmost reaches of Scotland from one millenium to the next.”

— Mike Robinson of Edinburgh, by email, 19 January 2000, UK

“You have a crystalline voice. Thanks for making perfect music for my own dreaming.”

— Craig Gidney, author, of Washington D.C., email, 23 July 1999, USA

“Alexandria is absolutely fantastic.”

— DJ Ottic, Alphabet Media, email, 12 July 1999, Germany

“I hear you singing in the darkness / and light spills through my veins”

— Lance Earnest, extract of his poem, 3 March 2003, USA

“Upon my first listen of this album, ‘Alexandria’ and ‘Fortress’, old companions (from compilations) were probably my favourites, until coming to ‘Madame Alchemier’ …superb contribution. It seems strangely familiar, as if I’d heard it prior to buying  this album, which is not possible. Perhaps it simply has a ‘classic’ sound…”

— George B. Moragemos, in a typed letter, 5 July 2002, Germany

“We were playing Alexandria as we drove through valleys (in the Lake District) with huge mountains interspersed with dreamy lakes…  Alexandria highlighted the beauty of the mountains… Also, the landscape made every note of Alexandria seem at a sublime pitch.”

— Rebecca Yeo, email, 26 August 2001, UK

“You’ve a beautiful, mystical voice, and i really love your work. Best wishes from Portugal.”

— S, ‘CC’, Myspace, 13 February 2007, Portugal

“I have read your (story) about the seven keys… interesting handling with number 7, i interpret the walk downstairs… as a visit at the roots of yggdrasil where the nornes spin the lives. Here the boy meet his own life  with all imagines, dreams…”

— Elmar Klemm, Zillo Magazine, by email, 18 July 2001, Germany

“I discovered your song ‘Alexandria on a cd in the D-side magazine in France. And i found it so peaceful that i decided to find some more news about you.”

— Vincent Trybon, photographer, email, 8 January 2002, France

“Alexandria… it’s setting up camp for a while. My favourite track now is ‘Madame Alchemier’ with its clocklike percussion…”

— Brian C. Searle of Portland, Oregon, Dust to Dust Magazine, email, 9 August 1999, USA

“A few people create things that will stand forever. Your work will continue on  for many life times if not literally forever.”

— David Bagby, California, email & cdbaby, 17 February 2000, USA