BNE continue with a third in the Life series that was started by Eyal Yankovich from Hommega as a collaboration between the two labels (Life is... & Another Life). This time it's Avi Yossef who did the compiling. The out come is a nice compilation moving between the ambient and the loungey, and featuring only Israeli artists, some trance ones, some mainstream ones and some new chill artists.
Cosma opens the journey with Ethno Bialik from his last album Non Stop- a deep slow and mellow tune with an ethnic touch, and penetrating vocal, written in his caravan studio in the fields of Kiryat Bialik. Next is Bwicked, a new name for me, with a very beautiful emotional spacey piece dedicated to the lost astronauts of the Columbia space shuttle. Nice debut. Infected Mushroom hosting French guitarist Laurent Nackche, bring another twisting Infected tune going all directions at once- great guitar playing & beautiful melodies, but goes a bit too kitschy on me at times, especially the first part. Lo Ra (not bad, in Hebrew), as they chose to name it themselves. Then it's Idan Raichal Project (T4), the most successful musical project in Israel in the last year, featuring Jewish-Ethiopian musicians. Beautiful singing. J.Viewz, Jonathan from Violet Vision, is next with a beautiful loungey-jazzy track, which is just beautiful, as almost anything else he's done Noa Lambersy's hypnotizing voice messes with your head, and not for the last time here- beautiful! Angel Tears (T6), with a sign for their fourth album that was just finished with their typical world music beat, array of musical instruments and penetrating vocals from chillout DJ & singer Natasha. Oforia is here again with another of his well made extremely loungey tunes- he still does it very well, I still don't connect. Nothing psychotic or mind expanding whatsoever, unlike the sample suggests. Future Prophecy making a sound, after long time we haven't heard from them. Revelations (T8) takes things to the more funky side on a tribal beat and with an uplifting melody. Nice return. Echotek next with the very very dramatic Freak Africa changes direction to a more dramatic and a bit clubby atmosphere- penetrating clubby melodic lines- one of my favorites here. Zino & Tommy return again with another nice tune with a nice chanting singing- nice, too nice. Gray Matter (T11), the other half of Violet Vision featuring the official psychedelic vocalist- Michelle Adamson- with a dramatic and almost gothic and very emotional reconstruction of Requiem for a Dream, another favorite, and should have come straight after Echotek. They fit well. Feedel is a name to remember, these guys have a lot to offer, here with a nice caressing loungey tune that only shows a little of their potential. Violet Vision (T13), together now, with Noa's voice again and a nice mix to Your Voice already released on a CDsingle and their last album. Very good one. Mo Shic, one of Israel's more commercial trance stars, ends the journey with a dramatic, almost housey, beautiful tune, another favorite. |
