World Music Album Reviews

Scythian Horn - The Slavs Part 1

The Slavs Part 1 is another great compilation album put together by the cultural fund, Scythian Horn, a Siberian CD label showcasing bands from Eastern Europe and Slavonic areas.

This compilation features bands from a range of countries such as Tundri (Serbia), Trio Tzane (Bulgaria), Skomoroshia sloboda (Russia), Muzička (Slovakia) and Monistra (Macedonia) amongst others.

The music is quite varied in style and texture as you would expect from such an album - but the shared lineage is definitely aparent in the music.

After an ethereal start to the album with Dej mi, Bože by Croatian band Afion the tempo goes up a notch with the mediaeval sounding Ajd polazi momo by the Serbian group Runo.

I really enjoyed the intense acapella harmonies of Co som ti urobila sung by Slovakian ensemble Muzička and also those of the Bulgarian Trio Tzane who contributed 2 tracks each. Russian group Skomoroshia sloboda also contribute an acapella piece called Blagoslovi, mat.

It wasn't until I heard The Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria a few years ago that I actually began to appreciate acapella singing - and I've been hooked on it ever since - particularly Bulgarian music.

The tracks from Czech Republic sound a little out of place amongst the other tracks - whereas all the other tracks have a dark overtone, the Czech pieces are spritely pieces in a major key.

Another favorite of mine from the album is a famous dance set from Osogovka in 11/8. It features Gaida (bagpipes) and Tapan (drum) and has an infectious rhythm - short, short, long, short, short.

Ukranian band Svjata Vatra's piece Kalyna is very catchy and reminds me of a cross between Romani songs and French music while Slovakian band Tirnavia start with a gorgeous acapella piece which turns into rhythmic stomping and clapping - it would go down really well at a live performance.

It's hard to classify an album like this - they're not trying to create a "best of" series - Scythian Horn is showcasing some great artists who may not be known outside their own country - I certainly hadn't heard of any of these groups.

The Slavs Part 1 is a great introduction to the music from these areas without being too heavy going for newcomers and with enough variation to keep aficionados happy with music from bands they may not have encountered before.

I look forward to seeing more of the Scythian Horn compilations as they're doing a great service to the music world.

> Find out more about Scythian Horn cultural fund and The Slavs Part 1 CD

Tundri - "69"