CD Review: Jody Quine's 'Seven'

Jody Quine
Seven
Self-Release

Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Jody Quine is best known for her vocals in Balligomingo and Sleepthief. Now you can add a solo project to her credit. Seven is a folktronic and electro-acoustic medley of sorts with groovy dance tunes and upbeat melodies. "Tonight" is upbeat and electro-acoustic, which is indicative of some of Madonna's earlier work. "To Be Frank" begins a little slow, but quickly warms up to a contemplative melody and electronic backing that is rather minimal overall. Jody's vocals are the real charm here. There are vocal similarities with Beth Orton and Sinead O'Connor. "Piece Of My Heart" is something straight out of Nina Gordon's vocal repertoire with a piano, guitar, and percussion beat to boot. "I Love You" contains frame drum percussion and a minimalist repertoire of instruments, as the vocals fill the void. "Finch Diving" is a slightly urban tune with cinematic strings, electronic backing, and a heady beat with clear vocals. There are only seven tracks on the album, which may be one reason for the album title. One thing is for certain--Seven is five stars out of five all day long. ~ Matthew Forss  

CD Review: Orchid Ensemble's 'Life Death Tears Dream'

Orchid Ensemble
Life Death Tears Dream
Self-Release

The Vancouver, Canada-based Orchid Ensemble brings us inventive Chinese traditional music. Lan Tung is the vocalist and erhu player. Haiqiong Deng plays the zheng. Jonathan Bernard is the marimba and percussion expert. Together, this trio fuses classical music with Chinese traditional music. The somber, yet intriguing erhu and zheng instruments are iconic and classic. The ancient traditions of Chinese classical music are reinvented here with subtle percussion additions. The plucked instruments and light percussion sounds are a perfect combination for the intended result. The music is very dreamy and awe-inspiring, but most of all: it is fun. The galloping "Hayot Hakodesh" is especially moving. "Cocoon" is pensive, reflective, and diverse. "Tune Of Mulberry" contains wavering, plucked notes and sweeping melodies. The operatic vocals on "Dancing Moon" are especially inviting. Overall, Orchid Ensemble is a great ensemble with a great repertoire. Life Death Tears Dream represents a life cycle, but this one should not be missed. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Tarun Nayar's '22 Degrees of Beatitude'

Tarun Nayar

22 Degrees of Beatitude

Chaiwalla's Boombox

Vancouver-based DJ/producer and electronica wizard, Tarun Nayar, is a global pioneer of Indian fusion and dance music. 22 Degrees of Beatitude is an album of lighter dance music and electronica that veers away from heart-pumping, dub-thumping sounds. Tarun's other work as a tabla and electronics guru with the Delhi 2 Dublin group certainly shaped and beautified his current release. The songs are mostly instrumental with little vocal accompaniment, except on "Innocence", "Kezang La", and "Mamaji". Taking the lighter side of dance music, Tarun shines with trippy, trance-inducing compositions without fatigued results. With titles as diverse as "Kezang La", "808s and Sheikh Sarai", and "Mamaji", the album is bound to be an intriguing journey through the aural sounds of the world. In fact, the double-pronunciation of 'beatitude' and 'beat-itude' still means utter bliss or happiness. Tarun Nayar is sure to conjure up loads of happiness wherever his tunes are played and performed. ~ Matthew Forss