Labyrinth is the brainchild of incredible musical duo Jeff and Maya Bohnhoff, showcasing their considerable songwriting and composition talents, and their stellar instrumental and vocal abilities. This song cycle takes the listener on a sonic journey that seems to reflect and explore the uncertainty so many of us felt through the early days of the pandemic. Using the metaphor of the labyrinth, each track spirals around and down, sometimes through urban despair, other times illuminated by the moon of reason (or is it lunacy?), spiraling ever towards the quiet resolution of the center, and ultimate healing.
Jeff Bohnhoff is an absolutely amazing guitarist, and most of the tracks feature scintillating guitar solos. Many also include his drum programming and synth/keyboards. Maya is a marvelous singer and sings all the leads, with occasional backup by Michelle “Vixy” Dockrey and Steve Macdonald. Jeff and Maya share the music composition credits, and Jeff wrote all of the song lyrics except for “Lighthouse,” which was written by Maya. Mike Mallory (bass), Chris French (saxes), Mary Crowell (piano), Jared Norris (piano), and Betsy Tinney (cello) all add their musical magic, and artist Beckett Gladney created the beautiful cover and interior artwork.
Labyrinth opens with “A Moon Half Full,” featuring driving bass and drums, gripping, evocative lyrics, and a wonderful electric guitar solo. “The Haze” follows, with tasteful electric guitar licks over sparkles of piano, melodic cello, and a grounding of synth. The lyrics paint a vivid picture, dynamic rhythms support the soaring electric guitar, and a thoughtful saxophone leads out.
The third track, “Labyrinth,” is a standout, with a Middle Eastern feel throughout, interesting chordal structure, and shifting rhythms suggesting the winding of a labyrinth. The ominous cautionary lyrics seem born of personal experience, and the darkly beautiful chorus is yet quite singable. Relentless rhythms underline the hard-hitting message, and a jazzy sax solo emphasizes the urban feel. Track four, “Maybe It’s True,” changes it up with a mellow love song featuring a beautiful guitar solo, and gorgeous vocal harmonies between Maya and Vixy.
“Let the Fires Burn” features upbeat lyrics of hope, renewal, and release from the cold hold of winter. The uptempo rock intro layers electric guitar, bass, and drums over sparkling synth, leading to driving female vocals and brilliantly cascading guitar solos. Number six, “Lighthouse,” features powerful tom-heavy drums, strong bass, cosmic synth, and some of the most beautifully striking vocals on the album. A repeating melodic motif recalls the rotating light of a lighthouse. The lyrics incorporate maritime imagery and entreat the listener to return to self, calling them home from the sea of despair to the safety of love.
The lyrics of the next track, “Beyond the Bend,” prophesy dark changes on the horizon. Water, in its various forms, symbolizes safety, security, and escape, serving at the same time as an ominous symbol of rising flood and fearful future. Masterful instrumental work supports Maya’s exquisite and haunting vocals. The eighth track, “Refuge,” is a slow ballad reminiscent of Pink Floyd, with effective use of saxophone throughout. The mournful lyrics seem to speak of the plight of the homeless. “Chasing Ghosts” follows, with a dark, foreboding intro and disquieting rhythms supporting lyrics that trace the journey from urban anguish to ultimate redemption.
One of my favorite tracks on the album is #10, “In the Deep Luna Sea.” Beautiful acoustic guitar, tasteful percussion, bass, and synth create a musical setting that recalls the rhythms of ocean waves. The sunnily major melody accompanies lyrics that seem to describe the insanity of current times, along with hope for healing and a call out to the seas of the moon and the qualities they represent. The next track, “Don’t Look Away,” opens with wailing synth and tasteful, spare piano supporting beautiful trio vocal arrangements. A soaring electric guitar solo embellishes and underscores the entreating urgency of the lyrics, offering hope and release after the dry season of despair —“a chance of rain, of love regained, it’s all here.”
Track 12, “Vanishing Point,” features evocative lyrics, strong rhythms, and a glorious guitar solo, leading to the closing track, “It’s Quiet Here.” A church-organ-like synth leads into the beautiful vocal, speaking of rest and redemption at the end of a time of horror and worry — the quiet in the center of a labyrinth.
Margaret Davis is a professional singer, multi-instrumentalist, artist, and calligrapher. She sings and plays Celtic harp, flute, and recorders with the bands Margaret & Kristoph, Avalon Rising, and Brocelïande. She has released 16 CDs on the Flowinglass Music label. Her mythic and magical artwork incorporates gouache painting, lettering, and gold leaf and aims to invoke the life force and represent the archetypal essence of flowers, plants, and animals. MargaretDavisArt.com