Monday 19 May 2014

Kaya Project 'Firedance' Review


Artist: Kaya Project


Title: Firedance


Label: Interchill


Released: 13th May 2014




Seb Taylor the mastermind behind the Kaya Project has released his music in many guises, from the synthetic chill of Hibernation and the global lounge of Angel Tears to Bio-Tones tech-house re-mixes to name a few. It seems whichever, style organic or synthetic he turns his mind to it works well. This is the fifth album released on Interchill in his Kaya Project guise, the last album 'Desert Phase' travelled across continents with field or rather desert recordings, reflected with the music from country blues to the sounds of Arabia.

The album launch for 'Firedance' took place recently at one of London's premier chill spots the InSpiral Lounge with support from Whirl-Y-Gig's Monkey Pilot. Having seen it advertised on my last visit I quite fancied going but was sadly unable to make it. So making do with the recorded audio I'll press on.

This album features the sultry vocals of two previous collaborators, Irina Mikhailova and Natasha Chamberlain as well as Pearce van der Merwe on Flute. Seb's production takes us on a journey through down-tempo Arabic numbers and chilled strings to upbeat tribal percussion. The title track 'Firedance' for example is a smouldering hot pot of Arabesque strings, African chants, percussion and Gypsy violin balanced beautifully with chilled breakdowns. Despite the quantity of sounds and styles input into the track it flows far smoother than it sounds. With 'Todero' on the other hand all I can picture in my minds eye is a swirling dervish dance carried along by Irina's lucid voice which while dominating your attention the accompanying music adds but never distracts. While 'The Phoenix Rises' takes a step back into chilled guitar strings with an almost orchestral feel in places a gorgeous backdrop for Natasha's wonderfully ethereal tones.

This album will definitely appeal to fans of previous Kaya Project releases, Irinas own music and that of other projects such as Star Sounds Orchestra and Lumin and possibly Vas, Dead Can Dance or Irfan.

Review by Woodzee.


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