Tribal synth paradise
Andrew D. Rohn | Madison, WI United States | 08/19/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Oh my god I love this album! It is one of the maybe 20 albums in my life I could listen to over and over. I have never heard freaky synthesizer atmospheres and beautifully polyrythmic African drumming combined to better effect. The palette of synth sounds reminds me of Joe Zawinul of Weather Report -- unique, earthy, spooky, sometimes tenderly beautiful. Fans of odd meters and complex rythmic patterns will be thrilled beyond belief, but it's all groovy and hypnotic as opposed to jerky and confusing. Add to this Fred Frith on guitar, plus strange and gorgeous violin and clarinet parts, and you're swimming in continually intriguing sounds. Bony Bikaye's voice presides over all-- deep, often scary, sometimes touching. If you like African rhythms and also like experimental stuff, this is your thing."