Search - Hector Zazou, Traditional, Breda Mayock :: Lights in the Dark

Lights in the Dark
Hector Zazou, Traditional, Breda Mayock
Lights in the Dark
Genres: Alternative Rock, International Music, Special Interest, Pop, Rock, Classical
 
  •  Track Listings (13) - Disc #1

Zazou specializes in ambient soundtracks for nonexistent movies that take their cues from various world music genres. This time out it's Irish sacred music, and Zazou, with the help of a small army of international stars i...  more »

     
   
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Zazou specializes in ambient soundtracks for nonexistent movies that take their cues from various world music genres. This time out it's Irish sacred music, and Zazou, with the help of a small army of international stars including Egyptian percussionist Hossam Ramzy, trumpet wiz Mark Isham, and French picker extraordinaire Thierry Robin, has fashioned 13 moody settings for ancient and modern texts that feature mournful vocals by Brede Mayock and Lasairfhiona ni Chonaola. The result is new agey, but the passion of the singers and some disturbing instrumental touches keep the music from getting too predictable. The misleading ads for this album say that it features Brendan Perry from Dead Can Dance, and Katie McMahon from "Riverdance." Perry does play percussion on two tracks, and McMahon sings lead on three, but if you're looking for the Gothic pop of DCD or the exuberant Irish jigs of "Riverdance," you're going to be disappointed. --j. poet

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CD Reviews

Sheer brilliance in the dark
06/29/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"Hector and the ladies go way beyond the traditional ethereal old and modern Irish religious Sean Nos of the likes of Noirin Ni Riain, who is justly thanked on this album "for paving the way". Nowhere the same, nowhere boring, nowhere conventional, but refreshing, surprising and renewing a very old tradition. Like a genuine Celtic tradition to mould an amalgam of the very best of foreign elements (Japanese!) with the strong potential of indigenous traditions to create a unique and succesful blend. A perfect album as such, in its sheer musical brilliancy but even with consideration to the tradition of numerical esoterism when putting its strongest track Amhran na Paise on position seven (!) out of a total of thirteen (!) Columcille himself would have approved! He who has ears, may he hear..."
Music to make moss grow, whisky flow and tired skin prickle.
02/06/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)

"This should surprise nobody. The man needed to set straight the dangerous Riverdance tendency which should not be the world's window on Irish culture. Lights in the Dark follows naturally the even more ethereal -- but perhaps more feral -- Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corse (Philips 848515-2), a set of Corsican choral works with a little touch of John Cale. How can I find out what's happening next? Do I wait 'til Cale comes to Australia again, and ask him? Hector, talk to me!"
Hypnotically beautiful
Aliza Mansolino | Burlington, VT | 10/13/1998
(5 out of 5 stars)

"An ethereal, dreamy collection of sacred Irish hymns - very different from Hector Zazou's other CDs, but equally mesmerising. The vocalists and arrangements are haunting. Not to be missed!"