|
|
 |
CD Review
|
| Click Here to go back. |
Sunday Eagle-Tribune, CD Review >>
'Nu Med'
Balkan Beat Box
"Surreal" and "boisterous" aren't usually used together, but the two words effectively describe Balkan Beat Box,
The multi-ethnic band formed by Israelis Tamir Muskat and Ori Kaplan follows its 2005 musical hodgepodge of a self-titled debut with another grab-bag, "Nu Med." The title refers to "New Mediterranean," which befits its conglomeration of the sounds of Eastern Europe (both Jewish and Gypsy), North Africa and the Middle East. But this "Mediterranean" also extends to other parts of Europe as well as the Caribbean (reggae) and the United States (electronic music).
The more fired-up the band, the better. Nearly every track is jabbed with horns (Kaplan plays sax and woodwinds; six other horn players are also credited) and powered by furious beats and echoing dubs (Muskat plays drums and does programming). Invigorating as it is initially, this basic premise can be as tedious as a three-second loop that repeats for 10 minutes.
Balkan Beat Box has created a crackling, artificial universe of harmony on "Nu Med," The real world should take note of how it's done.
06/24/07
|
| Click Here to go back. |
|
 |
|
|
|
