Tañce Snu — Meander
The first thing that one becomes aware of is that there is a massive tribal influence throughout. The opening track Sareneti features tribal style drumming and the additional sounds of bells and rain sticks give the whole thing an almost African feel. This feel is retained throughout the album, while Madejski’s vocals add to this effect in that they are at times redolent of African style tribal chanting.
There is also a metronomic beat that is introduced right from the beginning, which remains prevalent throughout much of the album and which is evocative of the classic German Kosmische bands of the early 1970s, and one can’t help thinking that Can are probably one band they would cite as an influence. Meanwhile, Matyascheck’s guitar playing encompasses the aforementioned Kosmische style but it also features the warmth and swagger of jazz guitar, something that can be heard on many of the classic records of the Kosmische era. Whilst on the track Ilaperose, Matyascheck’s noodling guitar playing reminded me a great deal of Sam Andrews/James Gurley era Big Brother and the Holding Company, which is no bad thing in my mind as those early Big Brother albums feature some wonderful guitar work. It has to be noted there is also a hint of psychedelia that remains bubbling under the surface throughout the album. It’s always there but never really takes centre stage.
It’s also really great to report that the album is peppered with hammered dulcimer, an instrument that I feel has been very underused in contemporary music. Bjork has used the hammered dulcimer to great effect on a number of her releases over the years, and one can definitely draw similarities between this release and some of Bjork’s classic solo releases, in fact I’d be surprised to find that she wasn’t an influence on the recording of this particular album, such is the vibe of much of the material on offer here. There is an otherworldly quality that just screams Bjork to me.
Overall the key instruments on the album are the dual voices of India Czajkowska and Sebastian Madejski. The two-part track Holalia Ablakota is the first time we really see their voice take centre stage. Both vocalists have incredible, versatile voices that create sensual vocal textures that are capable of wrapping the listener up and transporting them to another realm. Madejski has a warm, rich vocal style that is fairly unique and doesn’t particularly bring any other artists to mind, however Czajkowska at various points throughout the album reminds me of both Diamanda Galas and Liz Fraser, such is the power of her beautiful soprano voice.
Meander is a very good record, ambient, avant-garde music with lush instrumentation and a tribal twist, but as already mentioned the vocals of the two main protagonists are the real stars of the show, and when you consider how good the musicianship is across the whole album that really does show just how special those vocals are. Overall the album is quite unique, however one can hear the influence of 1970s Kosmische bands like Can and Neu, and Icelandic legend Bjork, as well Diamanda Galas and early Cocteau Twins, but they never feel intrusive, and they never take over. The album always retains that unique quality, and that is what makes it such a success for me. This is a great album to kick back and listen to when you want to relax and allow the music to take you on a journey, and just flow over you.