Earth Tones

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by Genevieve Williams

With this Mabon 2005 installment of Earth Tones, we're going to get a little introspective. Most of the CDs I'm reviewing this time around are by, or associated with, artists I've reviewed in the past. Two of them are older recordings that I feel deserve mention; all are by turns outspoken and inward looking, as befits this time of year. Cirque du Soleil releases its first-ever remix collection, the MIDIval PunditZ go global, San Francisco singer and bandleader Karney tells us we're All Connected (self-released), Loituma charms us all the way from Finland, and we feature a blast from the past from Sámi singer Mari Boine.

Most of you are probably familiar with the Cirque du Soleil, whose multiple troupes wow audiences with acrobatics, clowning, dance, and overwhelming fabulousity. Multiple soundtracks of the music, which accompanies the organization's many shows, have been released over the years (including one which was reviewed in this very column). Now, for the first time, the Cirque is releasing a collection of remixes. The collection, titled Solarium Delirium (Cirque du Soleil Musique), comes on two CDs, each with its own theme. The Solarium CD is the Chill Remix and has a correspondingly downbeat feel, with atmospheric sweeps of cool sound and a collective feel at once dreamy and meditative. The Delirium CD, subtitled the Dance Remix, is highly reminiscent of an evening I spent at the Burning Man festival, wandering from one trance-music setup to another. Everything on this CD has a good beat you can dance to, although it's not as varied as the Chill Remix; the point with this one, one suspects, is to get people's feet moving. The mixes are nice and long, and each CD features nine to ten tracks. The potential for ritual use here is obvious, but either would also make great party music, depending on what mood you're going for.

Speaking of music that's great for dancing (or ritual, for that matter), the MIDIval PunditZ, an electronica duo from India, have a gorgeous piece of work in Midival Times (Six Degrees). As the title implies, the CD is a fusion of old sounds and new, and it's accomplished with remarkable tastefulness and the kind of apparent ease that takes a lot of work to achieve. Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj are incredibly talented guys -- music, production, remixing, they do it all, and the results are well worth hearing. Indian music is very rich, with multiple stylistic and genre lines and an extraordinarily long history. But too often, when mined by electronica artists, the results are shallow at best, and at worst reek of cultural appropriation.

The MIDIval PunditZ avoid this trap. That's partly because they wrote the music themselves, and partly because they have a sure ear for their work. Midival Times recalls more traditional music, but it does so with respect, and Raina and Raj have a light, deft production style. That's not to say that they're too academic to lay down a groove when they want to, of course. "Raanjhan" is an excellent example of this, borrowing a string ensemble part that will sound familiar to many club goers. It's none too surprising that the pair should be so accomplished; like many other rising stars in this genre (including Karsh Kale, who's been reviewed here in the past), they cut their teeth with Tabla Beat Science. Their guest musicians include sitarist Anoushka Shankar, the daughter of Ravi Shankar.

"And then I fall/into a trance/I am in love/with the dance." Those lyrics are from the chorus of the first song on the second CD from San Francisco alterna-hipster Karney, who together with her band rises above the crop of guitar-playing determinedly indie singer-songwriter-based groups by never mistaking sincerity for talent. She has plenty of both, you understand, but unlike a lot of bands in this genre doesn't expect you to like her music just because she means it.

Instead, she sets out to convince you and is quite persuasive, thanks to a strong, rich voice capable of belting out the lyrics, the inclusion of a few unusual instruments (such as bassoon, for example) played by people who know what they're doing, and some touches of reggae and soul to spice things up. She puts a few twists into her material, too; since she doesn't treat "All Connected" (the album's title track) as though it's the first time anyone ever had that idea, it doesn't come across as hokey. You're more likely to like Karney if you agree with her stances on various issues, such as marijuana (pro), military occupation (con), and spiritual enlightenment (very, very pro), but pagans of just about any stripe will find little to dislike in "Love to Watch" or "Mountain, Sea, Canyon, Tree." While not explicitly pagan, Karney's holistic approach to most subjects, and her ability to give at times rather vague lyrics specificity through her music, are highly enjoyable aspects of her work. Go to www.karney.org for sound samples and to purchase.

Back in 1995, Loituma released the appropriately titled Things of Beauty (NorthSide). The ensemble, born at the prestigious Sibelius Academy in 1989, has a deceptively simple composition, made up chiefly of vocals and the kantele, a Finnish stringed instrument. Some of the founding singers went on to sing with Swedish supergroup Hedningarna, which has graced this column with its presence multiple times. If you've heard Hedningarna (and you should!), that gives you some idea of the vocal power of this ensemble.

Loituma, however, is a different sort of group, with a more traditional orientation and a quieter focus. Much of the material is taken from the Kanteletar, a folk-poetry collection compiled by Elias Lönnrot, best known for also compiling the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland. The words are set to music of the kantele, an instrument somewhat reminiscent in timbre of a medieval lute. Indeed, much about Things of Beauty may remind listeners of medieval folk-music collections, which makes sense. However, it has a wilder, less courtly sound, even when the group is performing minuets, polkas, and other dances. Things of Beauty is at times somewhat unpolished, but therein lies some of its charm; this is the kind of music that would be destroyed if it were overproduced. Instead, Things of Beauty and its follow-up, In the Moonlight (also on NorthSide), invade your consciousness quietly, like autumn stealing in.

Another older release worth getting your hands on, if you can find it, is Mari Boine's Gula Gula (Realworld). While not as polished as the later Eight Seasons (NorthSide), Gula Gula brims with the fire and energy of a budding artist at the beginning of her career. The songs embrace protest -- of mistreatment, of cultural imperialism, and more specifically, of treatment of the Sámi people. Although the songs are not sung in English, the force of Boine's anger and passion comes through loud and clear (and the American release has translations of the liner notes, in case you're curious). While Gula Gula is now out of print, probably due to the demise of WOMAD under whose auspices it was released, used copies can still be found (try amazon.co.uk if all else fails). Later in her career, Boine has moved away from a traditional folk sound toward a more modern one, but the consistency of quality between this early release and her later work, which is more introspective and nature-oriented, is a marvel. Definitely look for this one, especially if you're a fan of Boine's other work. That's it for this column, but come around next time for new releases from NorthSide and other goodies! See you at Samhain!

Upcoming shows: NorthSide recording artists Gamarna appear at Bellevue Community College's Carlson Theater on September 25, see www.bcc.ctc.edu for details. Ballard hosts two fantastic shows on October 3: Irish band Dervish at the Tractor Tavern, and bluesman Otis Taylor at the Sunset Tavern. Indian violinist L. Subramaniam appears at Seattle's Town Hall on October 1, and Tuvan throat singers Tyva Kyzy appear on October 13; see www.townhallseattle.org for these and other great shows, lectures and readings.

Genevieve Williams is a freelance writer, drummer, and academic librarian, who lives in Seattle. She can be reached at rimrun@drizzle.com with feedback, suggestions or recommendations. Local musicians and pagan groups are encouraged to submit material for review and show listings.