由八名正值青春、迷恋任何与中古时代有关的文物、音乐的少女所组成的「圣堂辣妹合唱团」，在一九九七年发行第一张专辑，完全没有大厂光环庇荫、也不靠行销宣传手段，圣堂辣妹合唱团在当年立刻凭着独特的中世纪演唱风格和迷人的传统乐器搭配，登上古典榜第二名。 该团的创团元老是原属于摇滚哥德团体的Miranda Sex Garden的女歌手Katharine Blake，在她的号召下，将中世纪异教音乐的风格和乐器作为她的主要的风格，在第一张专辑大获全胜后，她们接下去更邀请另类摇滚团体Velvet Underground的John Cale为她们担量身订作第二张专辑，这八年下来，她们一共发行了五张专辑，团员也从原来的十一人逐渐减少为如今的八人。用她们对于中世纪神秘的迷恋和幻想，在这个被称为「Charmed」世代的新玄学时代里立足。 圣堂辣妹合唱团在隔了两年后才再发行的这张专辑「惊奇」，再次带来让人丧失时空感的轻飘飘错觉，只嗅得在音乐中那种草药味弥漫、充满龙与魔法传说的世纪再度重现，那是属于哈利波特与魔戒的年代。这张专辑，被称为是圣堂辣妹合唱团历年来最复杂多样、层次丰富的创作，在十八首歌曲中，采用叠音或原音的手法，制造出田园或是镜屋中的迷离幻境，时而演唱中古英语、古老拉丁文或是盖尔族语，让人穿梭在那古老而充满不可思议神秘事物的年代里。 by Johnny Loftus The Mediaeval Baebes combine elements of Western European myth and folkloric tradition with linguistic fancy and overdone sensualism. An example of the latter: in photos the octet will stand at the threshold of a leafy green forest, like an artisan's glistening porcelain figurines fashioned to please the provincial lord. On the other hand they'll perform in haunting a cappella, singing in Middle English, archaic Latin and Italian, Cornish, or even Manx, a unique Gaelic dialect originally spoken on the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea. So the Baebes are a study in contrasts, their work running fluidly between past and present. Mirabilis continues that conversation, collecting folk ballads, pagan dance music, ancient love songs, and parcels of pure mystery. Where some earlier albums emphasized synths and worldbeat textures too much -- whether as a crossover tactic or at the whim of a producer -- Mirabilis is happy with its zithers and recorders, finger cymbals and glockenspiels, and above all features voice. When a keyboard does surface ("Kilmeny"), it's as a mood accompanist. Opener "Star of the Sea" feels too much like a single, its Medieval English lilt too "period film" obvious. But the Baebes are better with something like "San'c Fuy Bellha Ni Prezada," with its unadorned vocal and twining autoharp, or "Musa Venit Carmine," sung in Latin, in the round, and stippled with dynamic percussion. These selections are exuberant, even catchy, but the mystery that lies in the heart of the Mediaeval Baebes' sound is never sacrificed. "Märk Hur Vår Skugga" is even better. A vocal trio harmonizes in an ancient Swedish tongue over the pluck of a zither and a violin's mournful sway; it's weird, cool, and beautiful. The ethereal "Lhiannan Shee" is another highlight -- its layers of beckoning voices are like lures to a spirit world -- and "Cittern Segue" is a gentle interlude played on the titular instrument, a Renaissance relic which sort of sounds like a mandolin crossed with a harpsichord.