In den Gärten Pharaos



In den Gärten Pharaos is the second album by German band Popol Vuh, released in 1971 by record label label Pilz.

Content
On In den Gärten Pharaos, Florian Fricke made more extensive use of the Moog synthesizer and experimental electronic sounds.

On side A is the title track "In den Gärten Pharaos", an ancient, contemplative meditation with the sound of rippling water, Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, and African percussion. The Moog creates an exotic and alien sound while the African percussion and the water effects are interwoven throughout bringing the listener back to earth. The track was recorded at Trixi Studio in Munich.

The second song "Vuh" is dominated by one massive organ chord creating an epic wall of sound. "Vuh" uses the wide range of the organ, both the low drones and the high crescendos. Turkish percussion and layers of cymbals increase the intensity of the music. The song was played and recorded on a medieval cathedral organ in the Stiftskirche Baumberg (Altenmarkt) in southern Germany.

Reception
Perfect Sound Forever described it as "an altogether more mature and unified work" than Affenstunde. Head Heritage described it as "the most mind-blowing mystical experience" and "awe-inspiring".

Legacy
The album was ranked the 5th greatest of the 1970s by FACT magazine.

Personnel

 * Florian Fricke – Moog synthesizer, Fender Rhodes, medieval cathedral organ
 * Holger Trülzsch – African and Turkish percussion
 * Frank Fiedler – Moog-Synthesizer-mixdown


 * Additional personnel


 * Helmut Fritz – album cover
 * Steffen Metzner – sleeve photography