One year after the re-release of her debut album, Marcome recorded River of Soul with 11 new compositions. This time she had two co-producers: Michel Robidoux, who also plays guitar, and Martin Lord Ferguson, who puts in some additional programming, vocals and keyboards. Marcome sings and plays keyboards, bass, additional percussion and cares for the programming, Francois Myrand reappears on cello and bass and again Michel Dupire provides the sophistic percussion playing while Guido Del Fabbro on violin, Davy Gallant on flute, guitar and mandolin, Olivier Laroche on bass and Jimmy Rouleau on guitar round the line-up off.

The musical journey begins with the atmospheric sound of "Dawn's Spirit," which leads us to the beautiful rhythmic and melodic title song. Guitars, piano and percussion set the terrific background to the great vocal performance. The musical accompaniment is much richer and diversified and thus violin, mandolin and guitar render "Arabica" an exotic, erotic and mysterious song.

All the songs and tunes from her new album are more expressive and mature than her debut. Marcome's words cover different aspects of life, from the painful solitude of "Locked Inside" to the joyful outburst of "World is Singing." She has been inspired by the raw beauty and the stern spiritualism of the "Meteora" friaries in Greece as well as by the vibrant beats of "Terra Africa."

She sometimes sings a self-created language composed of several poetic devices like on the rhythmic "Tupitera." Finally, Marcome sings the hauntingly beautiful spiritual hymn "Nostrie Tiempo." Her bewitching vocals are tenderly caressed by violin, cello and mandolin and rhythmically backed by Dupire, without forgetting the brilliant programming. This epic song in Marcome's incomprehensible language keeps you nearly paralysed for 16 minutes.

Marcome's music has ripened with her musical skills. The compositions and arrangements are richer, the songs are more varied and the outcome is a brilliant new age CD. She created her own style and surpasses her musical patterns and influences. Though I liked her first CD, this one exceeded all my expectations.

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