Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Eldbjørg Raknes: Sense
Eldbjørg Raknes: Sense
ByRaknes is assisted by guitarist and sound sculptor Stian Westerhus , her collaborator in her previous release
These spaces add a special quality to the eleven vocal pieces. All sound as if they gain a larger, elastic form as they patiently float and echo, having been processed and sampled in these rooms. The outcome is much more accessible than her previous radical vocal experiments. More in the vein of fellow vocal artist Elin Rosseland than of Sidsel Endresen, both past collaborators in the ESE trio.
The first five improvisations, "Close To," are meditative; often dreamy and bearing her idiosyncratic method of playing with soundssounds that morph into intelligible words, losing their meaning only to be framed as part of short sentences that slowly gain a cohesive structure and essence. The second partthe five short vocal improvisations of "Far Fromfocus only on her vocals, and its presence and movement in space, and with her beautiful and sensitive phrasing, a sense of time and melody, Raknes manage to form a kind of mini-choir. The concluding track, "All Right, Alive," has the structure of an almost intelligible songan abstract lullaby, with bells and distant soft choir, bringing a smile after this unique journey in sounds and vocals.
Each new listen unveils more colors and shades from the masterful vocal art of Raknes. More sounds appear, lasting and lingering in the memory.
Track Listing
Close To--1; Close To--2; Close To--3; Close To--4; Close To--5; Far From--1; Far From--2; Far From--3; Far From--4; Far From--5; All Right, Alive.
Personnel
Eldbjørg Raknes: voice, live sampling and percussion;
Album information
Title: Sense | Year Released: 2010 | Record Label: My Recordings
< Previous
Trumpet
Next >
What About...?
Comments
Tags
Eldbjørg Raknes
CD/LP/Track Review
Eldbjorg Raknes
Eyal Hareuveni
My Recordings
United States
Sidsel Endresen
Sense