Kiril Dzajkovski: The Great Water

Kiril's music for the film The Great Water reveals the composer's diverse approach to his craft, which ranges from tribal/ethnic-inspired pieces to more modern classical works. The incredible music experience could fit into many categories, including world music, ambient and classical. An accomplished composer and keyboardist, Kiril earned broad critical acclaim for his eclectic fusion of classicism, electronica and traditional elements on the soundtracks for Dust and Balcancan.

The Great Water is a political drama based on a novel by Macedonian writer Zhivko Chingo, dealing with the situation in post-WWII communist Macedonia, powerfully portrayed through the events occuring at an orphanage whose real purpose was not the care of children, but their political indoctrination.

The music bears all of Kiril's trademarks but within a different context and relying upon an approach which makes it different from his previous efforts within this genre. There is a variety of mood and texture throughout, but above all there is a unique vision that mixes strings with occasional traditional instruments such as kaval, kanun, drums and zurla. This blend of different styles and instruments is certainly not a haphazard experiment in virtuosity—Kiril integrates these instruments and influences into a unique mix that pushes the music into the land of fantasy and mystery.

The opening tracks ("Chasing Lem," "Blood Brothers") are characterised by hypnotic tribal percussion in the forefront with deep melodies as an undercurrent. "The Great Water," "The Gate" and "Timelapse" feature beautifully scored string sections. As the story unfolds, the music becomes less dominated by percussion and the melodies that were in the background come to the fore.

"First Magic" is a slow track that features an ethnic violin, unfolding elements even more slowly before percussion enters the track about three-quarters of the way through and changes the direction before it again falls away. "Dream Box," a waltz-like piece with a simple but very effective melody, is one of the standout compositions on this album.

Richly produced, The Great Water marks a further evolution for Kiril's ever evolving sound worlds. It is an incredible, intense and enchanting musical experience with a huge emotional impact.