CD Review: Soname's 'Natural Mind'

Soname
Natural Mind
Enja Records

Soname Yangchen is a vocalist from Tibet that draws upon traditional instrumental melodies and a seemingly never-ending supply of vocal fortitude. The pleasant melodies are accompanied by guitar, cello, kora, Tibetan lute, and drums for a truly serene and enticing set of songs. The music is more melodic and structured than another Tibetan songstress—Yungchen Lhamo. At any rate, the music is relatively contemporary with folk music influences and some pop elements, but this is not rock music or dance music. The thirteen songs are pleasant to the ears. There are also moments that are more reflective of Scandinavian folk music. All in all, Soname strikes a nice balance between traditional and contemporary compositions without sounding too overt. It should be easy to make up your mind for Natural Mind. ~ Matthew Forss  

CD Review: 'Plateau' Reaches a High Note

Soname
Plateau
Fortunate Recordings

Tibet's Soname brings her magical voice to her most recent recording, Plateau. The vocals shine high as the instrumentation nicely accompanies the entire production. In fact, you will hear the tabla, drums, guitars, keyboards, Celtic harp, flute, sarangi, strings, and a few other instruments. The album's style is comparable to recordings by the Real World label. Additionally, the liner notes are provided in English, French, and German. In regards to similar music, Soname's vocal and instrumental stylings resemble Mexico's Tonana, Uzbekistan's Sevara Nazarkhan, and Tibet's Yungchen Lhamo. The wide-reaching versatility of her music is evidenced by the fact of the abovementioned musicians. Though primarily of Central/South Asian origins, Soname mixes subtle infusions of Indian tabla drumming with short, bursts of flute and (other)worldly vocals. In short, Soname's Plateau rises high above the competition. ~ Matthew Forss