Customer Reviews

Cirque du Soleil: Ką

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you're in the mood for non descript, extremely pleasant music, the various soundtracks of Cirque du Soleil, always seem to be a good choice. I find that the mellow, easy going, low key, mellow deliveries of Cirque du Soleil to be therapeutic and relaxing. It also serves as excellent background music for reading or writing.

I have, or have heard about eight of the Cirque du Soleil scores, either the CD or from the DVD and when it comes to the music, my latest purchase, Ka is a shinning star in the heavens. Epic sounding in nature, KA has sixteen wonderful varied tracks, including two bonus tracks, running the gamut from exotic tribal sounds, to ethnic melodies, to gorgeous mainstream compositions. The music of KA comes from the show KA, currently in production at the MGM Grand hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

My favorites are "Pageant," a catchy ethnic melody with a syncopated beat and strong orchestral and choir backing the remarkable vocal talents of Elise Velle; "Storm" starts out with a cello introduction segueing into a full choir anthemic sound augmented by violins and strong percussion; "Pursuit" opens with the sound of ancient horns and drums joined by the men's choir the full choir in a frantic up tempo piece that truly lives up to it's title; "Love Dance," Opens with a sad violin joined by the full complement of violins and orchestra in a lovely melodic instrumental with subtle choral backing; "Battlefield," is another song that fits the title, since I can imagine a frenetic battle taking place in my mind. The music has a varied pace but is mostly medium fast sung entirely by the choir while the entire orchestra seemingly participates; "If I could reach your heart," Is a lovely airy ballad, performed by Elise Velle, ably backed by the choir; "We've been waiting so long," is another pretty ballad with a catchy melody but a with different singer - Nitza. Their voices are similar but Nitza's is a little lower.

While the music is obviously in the same realm as previous Cirque shows, they have obviously assigned more importance to the music in Ka. With a symphonic orchestra of 57 musicians and a choir of over 40 singers, the score of Ka has a grander fuller sound.

The entire score was written, arranged and produced by Rene Dupere, a person I had not heard of but had apparently participated in many previous Cirque productions.

When it comes to Cirque du Soleil; if the music makes the show, the most enjoyable music of Ka makes the show even better.

I bought this CD to try and recapture the magic of the Vegas show, which I saw twice in one week. But when listening to the CD on its own I realized how extraordinary beautiful the music is , even without a show to accompany it. I would classify it as the most outstanding Cirque du Soleil soundtrack you can buy right now. Very well produced and beautifully performed, this CD will be played for a very long time in my humble abode. PS -Make an effort to see "Ka" and "O" at least once in your life... the best two shows in the world.

If you've been fortunate enough to see the KA production, this soundtrack will take you right back. If you haven't seen the production, this is still a terrific CD. The music covers a broad range of emotions, taking you on a journey along the way. The music is slightly more mainstream than the typical Cirque du Soleil music, which will be appealing to some and might feel like a compromise to Cirque du Soleil purists. It certainly is a matter of taste, but I prefer KA, the production and the CD, over the other Cirque du Soleil productions I've seen / CD's I've heard.

My love of Cirque shows and their soundtracks began several years ago when I was introduced to Quidam and Dralion in French class. Since then I have had the pleasure of watching several of the shows on DVD and one live. I have always enjoyed Cirque music and during the past few months it has been my goal to explore more of it. I recently got to "KA" and was astounded by its beauty. Though a matter of opinion, I believe it is one of the best--if not THE best--scores yet composed by Cirque. I was instantly bitten by the "must see this" bug (currently the show resides in Las Vegas and is not available on DVD, but for those who cannot travel, "KA" was professionally filmed and aired one time in France and Germany, and can be found on most torrent sites).

After seeing the show (the televised version) I was pleased that the CD generally matched, moreso than some other Cirque shows (Quidam is a excellent example). A review of each track follows. Some are out-of-order as they appear in the actual production, and can be easily re-arranged on one's iPod.


---DVD PERFORMANCE ACTS---

The Pageant
The Storm
The Deep
The Archer's Den
The Washup On Shore
The Shadowplay
The Climb
The Blizzard
The Flight
The Twin Brother In Captivity
The Forest People
The Slave Cage
The Battle Begins
Aftermath


---CD TRACKS---



1. O Makunde: True to the live version and very enjoyable to listen to. Actually taken from the theme of "Aftermath," the last scene in the show.

2. Pageant: Theme of "The Pageant". Lovely rhythm and we are introduced to the main singer (whose name I do not know). Her tone is beautiful. Sometimes I'll listen to this twice in a row.

3. Koudamare: Though this may be featured in the live show, it is not in the televised version. I do not care for it at all. Seems slightly out of place.

4. Storm: Theme of "The Storm". Brilliantly written and no need to see the act to envision the storm taking place. I catch the word "Poseidon" several times (could be my imagination but I doubt it.)

5. Deep: Theme of "The Deep". The music during which the female twin swims underwater to retrieve her Nursemaid. Absolutely beautiful music, simple and emotional. Do NOT listen to the accompanying song at the end or it may ruin it. It is best heard by itself with no vocals or additions.

6. Shadowplay: Theme of "The Shadowplay". A slight disappointment. The main melody makes an all-too-brief appearance here, whereas in the show it goes on much longer. I often play this track several times so I can hear the oboe at the length it is in the show. The melody is simple and elegant and peaceful.

7. Pursuit: Theme of "The Climb". A great "edge-of-your seat" piece, during which the archers scale the cliff after the female twin and her nursemaid/valets. Very true to the live version.

8. Forest: Theme of "The Forest People". One of the CD's highlights with a changing melody and the excellent performance of the female singer. Nearly identical to the show.

9. Flight: Theme of "The Flight." My favorite track by a MILE. This is beyond gorgeous, one of several songs sung by a young soprano boy. I could hear it over and over again and never tire. Had "Flight" been cut from the CD it would have received a single star review. You cannot have "KA" without this piece (or "Love Dance").

10. Threat: An odd combination of a missing track and "Love Dance". Would have been great as a bonus, but not at the expense of the Archer's Den theme.

11. Love Dance: Theme of "The Twin Brother in Captivity". Another essential of the album. The theme of the Archer's Daughter as she performs her baton routine. The cello and violins are stunning. Listen to them carefully; each time they repeat, the music jumps an octave. One of the most stirring pieces in the show.

12: Battlefield: Theme of "The Battle." Very intense. Not particularly enjoyable to listen to (though great during the show) but hey, at least it's included.

13. Aftermath: Theme of "Aftermath". The female singer makes another welcome appearance and the song grows in beauty as it progresses. Short but well-written and very pleasing.

14, 15, 16: In short, a total waste of space and detriment to the album. There are reviewers who enjoy these songs, so I won't tear them to pieces, but they remind me of a "classic anime" song that you might hear during Sailor Moon or "Cirque Gone Animated". I hated them and deleted them from my playlist.


(For those wishing to re-arrange their music true to the live show, it would be as follows):

#2
#4
#5
#7
#9
#6
#11
#8
#12
#13
#1

Omit #3 (unless this is in the show and I don't know about it), #14, 15, 16




---TRACKS CUT FROM CD---

The Archer's Den: Deadly, fast-paced, and everything a "bad guy" needs as far as a soundtrack goes. Admittedly a bit fragmented and not necessarily conducive to a CD, but the mixer could have done a better job of adding in bits and pieces rather than the strange techno "Threat" that exists in its place.

Wash-Up On Shore: The "clown" routine. This is a super fun part of the score and I'm perplexed why it wasn't included. Sorely missed.

The Blizzard: Very short in the show, but cute and very "Cirque-ish" with the twangy strings. Would have been possible to add this in right before "Flight" and it would have lightened the feel of the album.

The Slave Cage: A nice feature of the electric guitar and a wonderful beat. It absolutely should have been added to the CD.



---FINAL TAKE---

My 4 star rating comes from the following:

Missing pieces from the show
Three wasted tracks of added vocals
Cuts in existing tracks (like Shadowplay)
Out of order from show schedule

That said, this is a Cirque du Soleil album that CANNOT be omitted from your collection. It is worth it just for Flight, Love Dance, and Forest, and the other tracks are very enjoyable as well. In my opinion, worth every dollar. And if you ever get the chance, I wouldn't pass up the opportunity to see it live, either.

I am not really into Cirque du Soleil to be honest. I have tried to watch some of their specials on cable but every time I tried to watch them, I end up yawning myself silly and changing the station. The music is the only thing that really that I have always liked about Cirque du Soleil but never bought their cds (never got around to buying them). Awhile back I received a copy of the latest Cirque du Soleil cd "Ka". "Ka" just took my breathe away. The music is absolutely gorgeous. The music reminded me of Enigma and Amethystium with hints of African influences. I especially enjoyed the female vocals. After a long day at the office, this is a good cd to throw in the stereo and relax to.

Awesome is such a cliche but it really is the most fitting description for this incredible cd. It matches an equally amazing and awesome show that has to be seen to believed. I love this music. It's beautiful and haunting, and is the kind of music you can have on in the car, background at a dinner party, to have on while you read, or just play whenever. It's stunning and having seen Ka in Vegas a year ago, it brings back the memories of the second best show I've ever seen in my life (the best show is O). If you've seen Ka or even if you haven't, you'll love this because it's so beautiful and unique and so enjoyable. I highly recommend this. PS. The cd cover is so cool. Love that too.

KA soundtrack is amazing. If you love Cirque du Soleil productions & music don't miss out on this one! Even if you haven't seen the show yet! This score is cinematic in its range (as intended by the composer) and is one of the best CdS soundtracks I've heard. Buy it - you won't regret it!

The KA soundtrack is at the top of Cirque music list. It's one of my favorites by far, even though I haven't seen the show, due to its beauty, intensity and raw power. Written by Cirque veteran Rene Dupere (Alegria, Saltimbanco, Mystere), KA is a dynamic, powerful and passionate soundtrack that captures the pure energy at the heart of any Cirque show. The biggest difference between KA and other soundtracks is that it includes a full orchestra and a 40-person choir, the first in Cirque history to do so.

The show KA follows . This soundtrack also includes "Forest," a relaxing and surreal song that's one of my all time Cirque favorites. Other great songs include the powerful and passionate "Pageant," dramatic "Storm," and moving "If I Could Reach Your Heart." The majority of the songs are in Dupere's trademark "Cirquish," with three songs (two of which are bonus tracks) in English. I don't know if these songs are actually included in the show, but, while they are pretty, they seem just a little out of place.

Without a doubt, KA is one of the most powerful Cirque du Soleil soundtracks out there. I'd recommend it to any fan.

KÀ was my first ever look at the critically acclaimed troupe of Cirque Du Soleil. There could be no better way to start listening to Cirque than to start with KÀ, Cirque's finest album to date. Out of all the CDs I have ever owned, none have never brought me as much delight to listen to as KÀ, Cirque Du Soleil's finest moment in it's musical history. René Dupéré, the composer of Cirque Du Soleil's earlier productions - including Alegría, Cirque's best selling album ever, crafts the music of KÀ, which portrays many various, powerful emotions that the listener can indulge into.

I cannot say anything on this CD than what has already been said. The music of KÀ is just extremely enjoyable to listen too. While all the music on this album is outstanding, my favorites include the wonderful voice and choir arrangements of 'O Makunde', the ethnic instrumentation and (once-again) outstanding vocals in 'Forest', to the heart-throbbing emotion from the strings of 'Love Dance'. I find that all the pieces have distinct scenes they are trying to show. Unlike in other Cirque albums, the music of KÀ does not always require a voice to make a perfect piece. The solo cello in 'Deep' is a notable masterpiece that is thoroughly enjoyable, as is the outstanding orchestral arrangment of 'Shadowplay'.

The choir that is featured on the album is also outstanding, featuring powerful and essential backing in the explosive and exhilarating song 'Pagent', the tedious environments of 'Pursuit', 'Battlefield' and 'Storm', the tragic emotion of 'Aftermath' and serene candour of 'O Makunde/If I Could Reach Your Heart", 'Forest' and 'Love Dance'.

I would also like to take the time to say that the artwork for this album is just sublime. The cover is one of the most beautiful conceptual designs I have ever seen - Cirque really has outdone themselves with this product.

I have enjoyed this music from the day I received it, to right up to the time when I amm listening to it now, and will continue to adore it for years to come. I applaud all who were involved in the recording of this unique and wonderful soundtrack. This music I believe to be one of the finest ever produced, and I really do recommend it to all!!

As for the music, it's one of the best epic soundtracks around. And yes, it feels like a soundtrack the same way the show feels at many moments like a high quality movie except that you know what?; the performers are real and the efects are real-time not some kind of computer generated images added after the filming.

I came from Las Vegas yesterday. My trip there was motivated by watching this show. I must confess that I have been a long time Cirque du Soleil skeptic. After all, my feeling was that for circus everyting that could be invented was already invented; I didn't see what some music (even good music) could add to such a traditional form of entertainment. But guess what, KÀ is a league on its own; it has some circus elements but it has a lot more special effects, great music, epic plot. At times you feel you are watching on of Broadway's best; at some other one of Hollywood's best. We stayed there more time and did the typical Vegas gambling but make no mistake about it, attending KÀ was the high point of our trip. And I undoubtely recommend everybody to go there and see with his/her own eyes the show since even the very best KÀ reviews fall short in depicting what you experience watching the show. I had the $125 ticket and I am still regretting that I didn't buy the one at $150 since the show was worth every single penny of it.