Record Reviews

BASTARDA / ALEKSIC / PODRUMAC ~ LILITH ABI AUDIO CAVE 2023/014 (Barcode: 5908298549759) ~ POLAND ~ Jazz-World Fusion Recorded: 2023 Released: 2023 This is the 9th album by Polish trio BastardaFind albums by this artist, which comprises of clarinetists Pawel SzamburskiFind albums by this artist, cellist Tomasz PokrzywinskiFind albums by this artist and contrabass clarinetist Michal GorczynskiFind albums by this artist, this time recorded with two female Serbian musicians: violinist Katarina AleksicFind albums by this artist and vocalist Branislava PodrumacFind albums by this artist. The album presents nine tracks, all of which are arrangements of traditional lullabies, each originating from a different global location. As usual with Bastarda projects, the music is exquisitely put together, with great care and aesthetic values at the epicenter, and brilliantly performed by the trio members and their guests. The theme of the mythological female figure of Lilith, a night she-demon, marks the common denominator of the lullabies, which originally were intended to protect the children from evil during their sleep. The serenity and tranquility of lullabies are of course their common characteristic, regardless of geographical location, as is plainly evident herein. Bastarda, yet again, prove their extraordinary chameleonic ability to find an ideal application of their instrumental approach to the central theme of the project, and although they are not the composers, the music becomes entirely theirs, ideally suiting their idiosyncratic approach, the individual instrumental contributions and above all the resulting outcome, which is entirely fascinating. The two guests are seamlessly integrated with the trio and add even more depth and beauty to the project as a whole. The violin parts and above all the vocals spice the atmosphere with worldly scents and Folkloristic nuances, all with balance and good taste not to disturb the delicate atmosphere of the entire project. The music is of course complex, multilayered and sophisticated, blending influences form many Cultures, creating an incredible musical / ethnic tapestry of great beauty and depth. It might require several listening sessions to appreciate and comprehend all the elements, but ultimately offers a deeply rewarding listening experience. Overall, this is another Masterpiece by Bastarda and their guests, which is an absolute must for connoisseurs of profound music, which combines a multitude of elements and demands an ability to amalgamate many threads in parallel, in order to create a magnificent fabric of sounds and emotions. It seems that Bastarda are simply unstoppable in their commendable task to keep their listeners astounded time and time again. Thank you my Friends!

Updated: 15/05/2024Posted: 29/02/2024

CD 1 Digipak Recommend To A Friend