29-03-2024, 18:09
The Idan Raichel Project - Tower of Light. A new album that was released on 6th February this year with little fanfare outside of Israel, it would seem. I can't find any English entries for it other than on Discogs so have been employing Google translate to get the gist of things from the lyrics that are posted on YouTube. This album sounds like the early project albums - I love the sound of the oud and the various other instruments that hark back to ancient dust. It just gets to my soul somehow. This is a mix of live instruments and programming - effective, I think. All in Hebrew and only the first of the ten tracks is instrumental so it's been a bit of puzzle working it all out! However, I don't care that much about not knowing the language which in a strange kind of way, speaks for itself. There are some gorgeous vocals, both male and female - nothing overtly political although there is a lamenting for those who have vanished from the landscape. Perfectly human to feel such emotions. I've been very tired of run of the mill sounds lately, so it was good to listen to something outside of that spectrum. Also - they're so professional and well rehearsed.
The instrumental opener ... Ara Dinkjian on the oud - Idan Raichel is a keys guy and multi-instrumentalist so he's pretty much played or programmed all the other stuff ... except the drum programming, in this instance, I think!
With Roni Dalumi - 'Tachzor' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTXAA96W1Ww - lovely voice
With Shai Tsabari - 'Lo Yashol Lichon' -
The instrumental opener ... Ara Dinkjian on the oud - Idan Raichel is a keys guy and multi-instrumentalist so he's pretty much played or programmed all the other stuff ... except the drum programming, in this instance, I think!
With Roni Dalumi - 'Tachzor' - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTXAA96W1Ww - lovely voice
With Shai Tsabari - 'Lo Yashol Lichon' -
"The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us." ~ Bill Watterson