"Hic sunt dragones": beyond boundaries of known music genres lay ocean of unmapped territories, where dragons are said to be lying in wait. And it is towards them that The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble decided to sail with their second studio album.

The fruit of long recording sessions started shortly after the release of their debut album in 2006, TKDE's new opus is also the first full length album for their now established line-up. Bringing together the tastes, influences and wishes of the band's seven members, this album was bound to tread into uncharted areas. Some of them had been presented (in alternate versions) on the earlier "Mutations EP", released by Ad Noiseam in early 2009, but it is with "Here Be Dragons" that the whole map is revealed.

Blending traditional, acoustic instruments with an acute sense for electronic composition, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble intends to create fresh and deep atmospheres out of familiar sounds. The result is an eerily journey through partly organic, partly mechanical tonalities.

In comparison with TKDE's debut album and the following "Mutations", "Here Be Dragons" distinguish itself with his focus on very clear acousticsounds, pulsating organic basses and a wider room left for Charlotte Cegarra's vocals. Still drawing inspiration from old movies, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble delivers here a soundtrack to a dense, intense yet-to-be-made film, shifting from the touching scenes of "Embers" and "Seneca" to the darker and perilous ones of "Caravan!" and "Samhain Labs" (named after TKDE's studio).

An intense, coherent and original work which required an uncommon amount of work, care and perfectionism, "Here Be Dragons" is definitely TKDE's most accomplished and important release to date, and should show the path that this band intends on taking on his already remarkable career.