Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Johan Agebjorn featuring Lisa Barra - "Mossebo" CD


Swedish electronic composer Agebjorn's debut solo release would've been a superb arctic soundtrack on it's own, without a doubt. His cool and glacial soundscapes are lovely and mysterious, hinting at darkness and isolation, but remaining alive and hopeful somehow. However, coupled with the brilliant, wordless vocals of Lisa Barra, 'Mossebo' becomes a remarkably lovely set of exotic ambient songs that evoke naturalistic and multi-cultural climates. Barra's Indian-inspired vocals are at once ethereal and earthy, reminding somewhat of Lisa Gerrard or Sky Cries Mary's Anisa Romero - some esteemed company. That said, this album is simply a breathtaking combination of sound and voice. As for notable individual tracks, 'Ambient Computer Dance' breaks the mood a bit with an early Autechre-influenced rhythmic interlude, but the strings that summon themselves later in the track glide the vaguely IDM-ish track into more beautiful, almost classical territory. 'Siberian Train (parts 1 &2)' are fitting and evocative audio travelogues of the long, harsh Siberian railway journey, and 'A New Day Arrives' ends the trip with a gentle ambient whisper. Superlative work here. (Lotuspike)

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