French folk, progressive rock band Erewän has released their latest album; Soul is the Key, on November 9th of this year.
Erewän is a solo artist who writes his own music and plays many of the instruments on his albums. He is also the lead singer. However, he also collaborates with many artists to get the instrumental sounds he wants for his albums. On this album he collaborated with additional artists including: Alexandre Lamia: lead guitar on tracks (9,11), backing vocals on track (10). Xavier Boscher: lead guitar on track (2). Dorothy Lorenzetti: vocals on track (3), backing vocals on track (10). Patrice Ricolvi: lead guitar on track (4). Alexis Bietti: bass guitar on track (3). Chris York: vocals on track (9). Alan Roberts: backing vocals on track (10).
Erewän’s music draws inspiration from rock, progressive, folk, Celtic, and film score influences. His lyrics often explore human nature, expressing personal feelings and reflections on both imaginary and real subjects — sometimes heavy, sometimes lighter, and at times contemplative. Erewän returned to the studio between 2023 and 2025 to record Soul Is The Key. In the same vein as the previous album, this new work features a slightly heavier sound on certain tracks.
His Discography includes:
Soul is the Key – (2025)
How Will All this End – (2021)
Bathing in the Light – (demo) – (2017).
The album begins with “Greetings from Slumberland.” It opens by a roaring fire, with wind, rain and thunder, before the delicate keyboards join in. A nice introduction along with pipes, orchestration and what sounds like a string orchestra. The lead electric guitar takes over and continues its instrumental performance along with the strings and pipes. Fantastic opening for my initial Erewän album. The music creates an imagine of the Scottish or Irish Coast, in the fall or winter. Thank you.
“Fantasy Worlds,” is the second track and it features Xavier Boscher playing a powerful and innovative lead guitar. He kicks off the song, along with some pipes, bass, and solid drums. The first lyrics are: “Epic battles in Medieval times. Among dragons and wizards. Tell us old forgotten stories. In our fantasy worlds what are we running after? An escape from the real life that is getting darker.” The music sounds heavier than Pendragon. Erewän’s vocals sounds a little like Nick, even if the music does not have that fairytale sound that Pendragon made famous.
“Still Sleeping,” opens with slow keyboards and soft cymbals. Erewän sings a sad, slow song starting with, “Good news today, no bombs exploded yet. No innocent’s got killed today.” A reflection on the violent world in which we live, with Ukraine’s fight to remain free still being fought. Dorothy Lorenzetti joins Erewän as a duet, then she sings a section of the lyrics alone. Alex Bietti provides great bass guitar support.
“High Fever,” features Patrice Ricolvi, on lead guitar. The song opens with some wonderful keyboards as bass and lead guitar enter with the drums. Erewän sings, “I can’t sleep tonight. Too many forgotten faces visit me. I’m surrounded by ghosts,” A difficult song about being surrounded by tragedy. The guitar soloing is fantastic though.
“Salvador’s Window,” seems to be about Salvador Dali’s famous painting, “Young Woman at a Window.” In the song, Erewän attempts to unravel the reason behind the woman’s desire to stare out the window at the sea. The song is set to wonderful acoustic guitar and piano, with light percussion. The harmonica playing adds perfectly to the backdrop for the imaginative scene.
“Reaching You,” opens with the sounds of a motorcycle taking off, before the pipes join in. Then, electric lead guitar is added. The song takes off to a rocking rhythm. A cruising song, set for a journey to ride and meet your loved one. The pipes play well, amid the electric lead guitar.
“Revealing Walls,” opens with a drum salute, then slow guitar, bass, and keys. Erewän sings a sad song, “I’m floating in a deadly bubble. Deadly but I’m fine.” The electric guitar solos are also very good. Hopefully this song is about some bad dreams, and not reality. The added piano and orchestration lifts the soundscape.
“Blackening Sky,” is a much more positive song, lyrically. It begins, “Spring is breathing deeply. The heart of nature is beating strongly.” The acoustic guitar, keyboards and bird song, are a wonderful surprise after the last song. Unfortunately, the song takes a turn for the worst. Erewän sings, “Sorrow is brought by the blackening sky.”
“There’s a Way,” features Chris York singing lead vocals. But first, the beautiful piano that opens this track, decorates the soundscape. More optimistic lyrics fill this song, “There is a way for us to all be together again. There is a day for us. I don’t know where.” Alexandre Lamia plays a powerful lead electric guitar solo towards the end of the song. During most of the song the acoustic guitar formed the foundation.
“Soul is the Key,” is the title track. It is full of beautiful piano and orchestration at its opening. Erewän sings, “Seven billion souls, each one playing its role. Fluttering on this piece of stone, before turning into bones.” A tough song which confronts the realities of life on Earth. However, there is a bright light in the lyrics, “The earth will go on spinning around. We’re only stardust!”
“Ain’t a Farewell,” is a wonderful closing, instrumental song, which opens with orchestration and Alexandre Lamia playing acoustic guitar, with flute or pipe accompaniment. Unfortunately, electric guitars are added and a rock soundscape emerges from the soft light of the song’s start. Fortunately enough, they do close the album quietly, with acoustic guitar, by the fireside.
Erewän Soul is the Key is an album full of melancholy sounds and lyrics, that is well played and well recorded. If you can stomach the heavy melancholy, this is a different sounding progressive-folk classic. Every song is engaging and tells a story. The music is genuine and unique. The guest performances light the stage well. Yes, I would recommend Erewän Soul is the Key, for all those listeners, like me, who are in search of a different sound for traditional progressive rock music. The soul of this music is performance, and they all do it very well.
Album Track List:
1. Greetings from Slumberland (05:07)
2. Fantasy Worlds (05:49) (Featuring Xavier Boscher)
3. Still Sleeping (06:34) (Featuring Dorothy Lorenzetti and Alex Bietti)
4. High Fever (05:28) (Featuring Patrice Ricolvi)
5. Salvador’s Window (3:51)
6. Reaching You (06:31)
7. Revealing Walls (05:34)
8. Blackening Sky (04:16)
9. There’s a Way (04:25) (Featuring Chris York and Alexandre Lamia)
10. Soul is the Key (08:22)
11. Ain ‘t a Farewell (04:40) (Featuring Alexandre Lamia)
Soul is the Key was Executive Produced by: FTF-Music. The music and lyrics were written by Erewän (except “There’s a Way,” lyrics by Chris York). Photography by Florent Dubreuil. Recorded by Alexandre Lamia. Mix and mastering by Alexandre Lamia. Artwork by Erewän and AI.
Band Website and Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/Erewanproject
YouTube and Music Video Links:
https://www.youtube.com/@Rees0621