Baraka – In Red
(Kailas Records 2007)
Baraka – In Red
(Kailas Records 2007)
From Aural Innovations #39 (May 2008)
Kailas is a Russian record label that releases a lot of ethnic Russian music
of all kinds of styles. The only band that will be known to any of us is Ole Lukøye, who’s latest CD was on this label. This group
(nothing to do with the Japanese one of the same name) is mainly a duo on Tablas
and other drums and a female violinist. They have a few guest musicians as well.
These two instruments are the main ones but some synths, bass, programmed drums,
and other things are also used to make it more melodic and dynamic. It is pretty
laid back and easy going beautiful music but quite modern in many ways. The
band is clearly King Crimson fans as 3 tracks are covers. Cadence and Cascade
is the first. Ambient is a great spacey grooving track and features a guest
guitar player and cool dueling violin and guitar solos and then this is followed
by a unique version of In the Wake of Poseidon by King Crimson. Very new age.
The band also later tackles Exiles. Café is the first of 5 tracks to
feature saxophone as well. Akramzon and quite a lot of the rest of the CD is
some sort of new age melodic stuff and not nearly as interesting as the first
7 tracks. I did like the drum solo track a lot… Overall, a pretty interesting
CD…
Check out the record label web site at:
http://www.kailas.ru
Reviewed by Scott Heller