KITKA, Wintersongs (Diaphonica)

Not a Christmas album, although the melody of “Shchedrik” is best known as “Carol of the Bells,” but a seasonal celebration.  The sacred and ritual songs are mostly sung a cappella by the eight-woman collective, and emanate from Romania, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Israel, Hungary, Georgia, Belarus and Greece.  The vocal arrangements are seamless and superb, highlighting the ancient tunes’ inherent drama; the folk carols from Romania and a Ukrainian Epiphany carol are particularly stunning.  Intermittent flourishes of violin, bazouki, flute, tambourine, and snare drum lighten the moo, particularly during the Greek “Ayios Vasilis” and the Bulgarian Koleda song “Tsarko Momche Kon Sedlae.”  www.kitka.org