1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Unique and fine album, November 27, 2006
This review is from: Sixteen Haiku and Other Stories (Audio CD)
In 2002 Akis Boyatzis (founder of Sigmatropic) released an album that put music to the Haiku poetry of Nobel Prize winning Greek laureate George Seferis. Now he is taking this work to an international audience by re-releasing Sixteen Haiku & Other Stories with newly recorded English vocals supplied by a collection of renowned alternative artists. Amongst the talent roster are Robert Wyatt, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Edith Frost and Mark Eitzel.
Stylistically the album spans everything from pop, world, ambient, acoustic and rock-lite. It's also littered throughout with unexpected twists that keep the music from being easily classified although the over-riding mood is cinematic, dramatic as well as meditative. Sigmatropic balance a combination of electronic and traditional instruments, beats and rich arrangements that create a surprisingly cohesive landscape despite so many styles being employed. Due to this it helps, rather than hinders having so many vocalists and vocal styles on hand. From the smooth Euro sound of Stereolab's Laetitia Sadier (Haiku One) to The Walkabouts Carla Torgerson (Haiku Five & Haiku Six) with her sparkling pop vocal. Robert Wyatt (Introduction 'On Stage') is, as usual; spooky as is Edith Frost on Haiku 8. Lee Renaldo speaks one his tracks (Haiku Twelve) like a man possessed but also delivers one of the softest and most beautiful songs (Haiku Sixteen). Pinkie Maclure's Warm Water is divine and Chan Marshall (of Cat Power) manages to keep it together long enough to deliver another one of the best tracks (Haiku 10) which also features one of the kookiest lyrics; "I am raising now a dead butterfly with no make-up". The lyrics, being Haiku poetry, are naturally brief, as are many of the songs although along with the sixteen Haikus this album also features five longer works.
Limited quantities include a bonus disc which features two remixes and three of the Haikus recorded by different vocalists. All in all this is an intoxicating and brew and those not put off by the artiness of the project are likely to discover a unique and fine album.
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