This CD proves what is possible nowadays, as it is a true international collaboration, recorded in Israel, Russia, and Spain, often via Internet. International collaborations are becoming more and more common now, thanks to the power of home-based digital recording; I've contributed to a couple of worldwide projects myself. I mention this primarily to point out that Irene Orleansky's debut Stick album is coherent, cohesive, and effective. Irene's Stick playing, singing, and composing abilities are showcased here to great effect.
The CD is truly an album, a unified whole rather than a collection of fragments; there's nothing scattered about it at all. There are points in the lyrics where multiple languages are going on at the same time, Hebrew, Russian, French, Italian, English, and much more, and all the threads are woven into a tapestry that shimmers and throbs.
I should also mention at this point that Kirill Mahalov, who contributes the majority of beats to this music, as well as vocals and sound design, is a genuine discovery. And Guillermo Cides provides depth and beauty wherever he appears on this CD. I'm impressed with the convergence of wild talents here that synergize into a true collaboration. Part of the unity expressed in this music is a journey of emotion and spirit.
We start out with a piece that soars over the desert with the wind,"From the Valley of Sharon," then moves to the high energy and wild dance rhythms of the Yemeni song "Ala Ya Uma," and the song that stands at the hinge of meaning for this entire project, "Dance to the Music of Your Heart." It's an exhortation, an invitation, that's bound to get your feet tapping.
The CD then moves into quieter, more inward realms. It is a mistake to imagine that only loud, intense music can be passionate; the lie is given to that with "Karev Yom (Come the Day)," which manages to be intense, yearning, meditative, and passionate, all at once. Some of these songs are love songs, and longing songs," but they come over to me, with my admitted bias towards spiritual things, as love songs to the Divine as much as to any embodied soul. (Not that there's a difference!) "Deep Within Your Soul" (a Don Schiff song brilliantly arranged here) and both versions of "Stay" bring this to the foreground.
My own personal taste gravitates towards the slower, more introspective tracks on this album such as "Meditation," but there is enough here for all. I like the tone of Irene's singing on this CD, because hers is a real voice, not a processed, "perfected" chanteuse voice. There are no false moves here, it's all organic.
"It May Take a Life" is powered by a slinky, sensuous groove. The layers of voice and the bass line that appears and reappears all move silkily over the drums. This is a track that shows more of Irene's tasty soloing than some other tracks. Have some confidence here in your soloing, Ireneā"you're moving in a good direction.
Just for fun, the CD ends with a club remix of "Dance With the Music of Your Heart" by Asi Kojak, taking us back to the international scope we began with, since electronica is a truly international theatre. This remix takes awhile to build up energy, but the wait is worth it, as it ably re-captures the fire and energy of the original track, even as it re-shapes the elements of the track.
I have to say, finally, that "Live the Music" is about the music first and foremost. There is a weaving of voices and instrumental parts here that reminds one that voice is the original instrument: all human music ultimately begins with the voice, with song. This is an album of *music* that happens to feature Stick, and Stick played very well and with an original voice.
