An album of LEONARD COHEN cover songs!?! Seems unlikely if not a little bizarre from the legendary World Music group SUNS OF ARQA, who only last year saw album releases on INTERCHILL Canada (Know Thyself? ichillCD047) and DRAGONFLY LSD UK (Scared Sacred BFLCD90). But as the title reveals STRANGER MUSIC is no ordinary album. It effortlessly takes the lyrical mastery of LEONARD COHEN and creates a cohesive amalgamation with the rhythms of the late BRYN JONES aka MUSLIM GAUZE – if you’re not aware of MUSLIM GAUZE check out some of the 200 plus uncompromising releases.
The vocals of ANGEL EYE are unique interpretations of LEONARD COHEN’S most profound poetic verse and superlative songs. This is pure eclectic genius from MICHAEL WADADA, the Manchester Underground music creator of SUNS OF ARQA, who continues to have a seminal influence on the whole World Dub Dance AmbientTrance music scene, having collaborated on ground breaking tracks with YOUTH, JOHN LECKIE, PRINCE FAR-I, ADRIAN SHERWOOD, GUY CALLED GERALD, ANDY WEATHERALL,THE ORB, ZION TRAIN, and 808 STATE…….
STRANGER MUSIC features a whole host of artistic contributions from the best creative innovators and musicians around. With STEVE YORK on bass, whose credits are too huge to mention yet notably brought the career of MARIANNE FAITHFUL back to life with his amazing bass playing on the album Broken English. Renowned British composer JOHN TAVENER also receives the SUNS OF ARQA treatment with a tremendous reworking of ‘Funeral Ikos’ from master mixer OHEAD aka DAVID HENDRY. While South Africa’s finest jazz pianist the late BHEKI MSELEKU brings STRANGER MUSIC to a sublime conclusion.
This is a beautifully produced and packaged album, and includes a bonus SUNS OF ARQA LIVE DVD featuring the full magnificent sound of SUNS OF ARQA’s rare UK appearances performing in recent festivals: Glastonbury, Big Chill and Trowbridge Village Fayre.
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