Antinoë – The Fold (Dark Essence Records, 2025)
Antinoë presents The Fold, a hauntingly beautiful chamber-like convergence of neoclassical folk, melancholy pop, progressive rock-style arrangements and a metal attitude that aligns closely with contemporary dark jazz aesthetics.
The remarkable one-woman project of Madrid-based pianist and vocalist Teresa Marraco, Antinoë focuses on sparse, piano-centered arrangements and an ethereal, precious and beatific vocal delivery. The material often recalls the intimacy of artists such as Danish artist Agnes Obel or Enya. However, Antinoë shifts toward a darker, more introspective space that may appeal to listeners at the edges of jazz, neoclassical, dark folk and progressive rock scenes.
Marraco has built Antinoë’s identity since 2021 around a personal exploration of darkness and restraint. Her background in black metal music includes collaborations with Coldborn, Elffor, Balmog, and Empty, as well as piano and keyboard work for Dimmu Borgir’s live performance of “Det Nye Riket” at the Beyond the Gates festival. Her 2023 debut, Whispers from the Dark Past, offered an acoustic reinterpretation of 1990s Norwegian black metal classics and attracted critical attention for its crossover potential between metal and neoclassical forms.
The Fold is Antinoë’s first full-length album of original material. The breathtaking record follows a conceptual arc centered on the acceptance of death and the inward “folding” that accompanies grief. Each piece addresses a distinct stage of that process, touching on themes of existentialism and the idea of embracing chaos as an integral part of the self.
The album positions Antinoë within a growing movement of artists who blur the lines between jazz-adjacent composition, neoclassical writing, and progressive rock and metal-rooted atmospheres, offering a dark, and elegant piano-driven statement for listeners drawn to boundary-pushing sounds.
Buy The Fold.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.