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CD Feature: Dahmani with Existence

  Tobias

It seems as though there comes a point in every dedicated music lover’s life when one’s attention goes out to new horizons, new means of expression, new musical languages. To many, this has meant turning to World Music and to the sounds of Africa and the Near East – some of your friends might already be hooked and you can hear it in the work of many pop artists, such as Sting. If, until now, you have been free this urge, things could well change with this album.

Which might have everything to do with the fact that it’s not a puristic record. You will find exotic instruments like the Ney, Darbuka, Loud and a plethora of percussions. But they’re all embedded in a modern production, that allows for gentle and unobtrusive keyboards, dubby echoes, computer-generated beats and spacy sound effects. And just as much as there are no barriers to the composition process, arrangements are diverse and exciting: “Jerusalem”, one of the standout tracks, starts off as a beautiful pop song and ends with a three-minute long flute meditation, “Algerie” stretches over eight minutes. Producer and Co-Composer Margot Reisinger walks the fine line between catchyness and cliches, but she never puts a foot wrong (because, of course, some of these cliches are actually true). Her delicate and tender harmonies add another layer to Dahmani’s already breathtaking vocals, who are soft as the desert sand and yet never without a rough edge. Lyrics are full of allusions to anger, violence and loss, but there’s a strong sensation that things will be alright again. You can physically feel the positivity and insuperable optimism radiating from every note.

It’s not an experimental record by any means but there’s more to discover here than in some Stockhausen pieces. And there’s definitely more to love. If you’re fed up with your local charts or want the upcoming autumn to be as warm as the summer, this is the album for you.

Homepage/Label: Costa Verde Productions