Sixteen Haiku and Other Stories [ENHANCED]

Sigmatropic (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 20, 2004)
• Original Release Date: January 20, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Thirsty Ear
• ASIN: B00015HVOC
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #384,186 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Review
On Sixteen Haiku and Other Stories, a slate of international guests help Akis Boyatzis and Sigmatropic recast their original, Greek-language interpretations of George Seferis' poetry into English, in the process bringing the Nobel laureate's evocative work to their own varied audiences. The recording's guest list is rather impressive, from an indie standpoint at least. Shoving off with no less an eccentric talent than the inimitable Robert Wyatt, Sixteen Haiku drifts soundtrack-like through 22 unnamed pieces ("Haiku Five," "Haiku Six," etc.) According to Boyatzis' liner notes, the guests involved recorded their respective vocal interpretations over Sigmatropic's existing tracks; the resulting musical threads tie together what might otherwise be a mess of tangled voices. The album percolates with electronic programming, and the grooves of what might be labeled indie electronica. Processed bits of guitar build subtle melodies over thick bass, wildly varied drum loops, faraway snatches, traditional instrumentation, and assorted blips of human laughter and muttering. Ultimately, however, Sixteen Haiku and Other Stories is about words and voices. Wyatt, Laetitia Sadier, Alejandro Escovedo, and Edith Frost dress their performances in personal nuance, but never outpace the poetry itself. (The artfully simplistic couplets are included in the accompanying booklet, along with a brief Seferis bio.) "I am raising now/A dead butterfly/With no make-up," Cat Power sings in "Haiku 10." It's brief at just over a minute. But the track's atmospheric buzz is sold by Chan Marshall's particular phrasing. This holds true throughout the album. Despite all the distinct personalities and their clever interpretations, no one piece ever really stands out. Instead, they each pour a spoonful of sparkling crystals into Sixteen Haiku and Other Stories' rejuvenating mineral spring. --All Music Guide

Product Description
FeaturesCat Power, Robert Wyatt, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab, Alejandro Escovedo,
Mark Eitzel, Steve Wynn, Howe Gelb, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth and more...

'Sixteen Haiku & Other Stories features the poetry of Greek Nobel Laureate George Seferis set to the beautiful and subtly colored music of Sigmatropic. Following on the album's success in Greece, the poems
were translated into English and sung by an all-star cast including Cat Power, Robert Wyatt, Laetitia Sadier of Stereolab, Alejandro Escovedo, Mark Eitzel, Steve Wynn, Howe Gelb, Lee Ranaldo of Sonic
Youth, and more.
Sixteen Haiku & Other Stories blends live instrumentation and studio wizardry into a diverse collection of
songs which drift fluidly through folk and rock styles into dark ambience and back out again, several times
over. Multi-instrumentalist and producer Akis Boyatzis is the nucleus of Sigmatropic. Augmented by a
rotating cast of Greek musicians, Boyatzis coaxes an alluring moodiness from unconventional song structures
which hinge mainly on the unique restrictions of the Haiku form. The mood of the music never fails
to complement the lyrical content, and each vocal performance is beautifully integrated with the music that accompanies it.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a pearl of a find..., January 30, 2006

By	M. A. Bucci (Mississippi) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I can't believe this CD isn't more popular, given its interesting mix of artists and its beautiful and evocative melodies and lyrics. I think it would appeal to a wide variety of music fans, from those into ambient sounds to anyone who digs unusual but catchy pop tunes, like the Talking Heads. I bought it after hearing Cat Power's song -- the shortest one on the CD, clocking in at an infuriatingly short 2 minutes. Besides the music, the CD bestowed another bonus: I discovered the work of George Seferis. Sigmatropic is a wonderful homage to his poetry and an exciting example of the interpretive possibilities of modern music.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gorgeous soundscape, low on the songwriting., September 18, 2004

By	Jonathan Vanasse (Lawrence, KS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I suppose it's an empty critique to say that the album does not showcase much strength in songwriting. Yet the album was the collaberation of 19 established vocalists (e.g. Cat Power, Robert Wyatt who is also featured on the new Bjork album "Medulla", and Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth), none of whom are working with their own lyrics but are converting the poetry of George Seferis to music.

The poetry is gorgeous, no doubt. The music itself matches and maybe excells Seferis' kaikus. Ranging from light acoustic experimentation to what borders on trance, the album is musically varied and stunning. It's amorphous in it's form and has little in the sense of forward motion or climax, but works tremendously well in it's soundscape and emotive atmosphere. In many ways, the work sounds like the product of a marraige between Miles Davis and Sigur Ros, with the occasional passionate affair with Bjork.

I like.