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Boi Akih: Circles in a Square Society
ByComputer effects add subtle atmospherics to "Circle 5." Brouwer's circular, guitar motif has a subliminal, trance-inducing quality as Akihary's beautifully floated delivery softly seduces. Trombonist Wolter Wierbos brings gruffly lyrical counterpoint to Akihary, and the two dovetail to great effect. Drummer Kim Weemhoff's loping beat complements Brouwer's West African groove on this striking composition, one of five originals penned by the guitarist. These five musical sketches best illustrate Boi Akih's greatest stylistic innovations, exploring strikingly different soundscapes and textures.
There's no denying, though, the beauty of the covers. "Guinnevere" is a slower take than the original, with Akihary's dreamy reverie accompanied by Wierbos' empathetic yet constantly searching trombone, a barely perceptible percussive pulse and guitar of harp-like delicacy. It's a haunting performance and the second notable interpretation of that tune in a short time, following BAAN's mesmerizing instrumental version. Mitchell's "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" follows a similar path, though Akihary's brings a rootsy blues depth to the melody. It doesn't take a leap of imagination to hear a latter day Mitchell approaching this song from 1972 with similar intimacy.
"Circle 2" is an ambient chill-out that's as odd as it is appealing, featuring a voice reciting seemingly random numbers, like an absurdist's take on bingo. Akihary's wordless vocal and Brouwer's quietly stated electric guitar improvisationswith ghostly percussion as light as angel's hairwork a wicked charm. The vocal/guitar duet on Hendrix's "A Merman I Should Turn to Be" and the quartet's soulful intimacy on "Drifting" succeed in highlighting the poetry in the legendary guitarist's lyrics and the grace in his melodies. The same is true of the vocal/guitar duet of Young's "Old Man," a gorgeous interpretation that quietly states the chemistry fostered between Akihary and Brouwer since 1996.
Brouwer's acoustic solo, "Circle Exercise," is a minor gem built around a melody that evokes "Three Blind Mice," with the same mellifluous appealthough minus the gory imageryof that surreal 19th century English musical round. "Circle 4" is a bristling number, with each musician plotting an individual coursethough with the same destination in mindon the high-seas of improvisation. A softly padding, folk-flavored interpretation of Marley's "Redemption Song," peppered with slide guitar, puts a lyrical seal on a splendid recording, one that recognizes the beauty in all music, regardless of genre, epoch or language.
Track Listing
Circle 5; Guinnevere; Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire; Circle 2; A Merman I Should turn to Be; Drifting; Circle 3; Old Man; Circle Exercise; Circle 4; Redemption Song.
Personnel
BOI AKIH
band / ensemble / orchestraMonica Akihary: voice; Niels Brouwer: guitars, computer, no input mixer, and world band receiver; Wolter Wierbos: trombone; Kim Weemhoff: drums.
Album information
Title: Circles in a Square Society | Year Released: 2012 | Record Label: Bromo
Comments
About BOI AKIH
Instrument: Band / ensemble / orchestra
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