Price: £10.00
Format: CD
Artist: Daniel Biro
CatNo: SCD28076
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Daniel Biro Shir Hadash electronica CD
A collection of a-cappella gospel-inspired works for voices and electronics.
 
Featuring three vocalists from the Elastic Theatre Ensemble led by Jacek Ludwig Scarso, ‘Shir Hadash’ (‘a new song’ in Hebrew) combines the timeless immediacy of pattern-based gospel harmonies with contemporary electronic sound processing. The piece was first performed at Kings Place, London in November 2009 with all the electronic processing performed live.
 
Repetitive chanting has always been associated with mystical, trance-inducing states. All spiritual traditions have their version of circular/spiral voice-based rituals used to help detach from the physical world and attain higher levels of perception. Ancient Hebrew prayers, especially the Psalms, are full of expressions of singing ‘new songs’ as exhortations to awaken and celebrate the spirit through music. Each piece of ‘Shir Hadash’ uses a selection of these expressions as lyrics.
 
The more earthy ‘Kol Ha Aretz’ has very little processing, whereas the final ‘Chayos’ (a class of angelic being) is pure electronics. Some percussion and Rhodes electric piano are also present in the baroque-flavoured ‘Naggen Bitrua’ and the jazzier ‘Shir Hadash 2’.
 
CD in gatefold cardboard sleeve.

 

1. Kol Ha Aretz  (2:35)
2. Azamra b’Odi  (5:43)
3. Shir Hadash 1  (6:28)
4. Zamru Ran’nu  (6:08)
5. Naggen Bitrua  (7:03)
6. Shir Hadash 2  (10:25)
7. Chayos  (9:26)
Written, recorded and produced by Daniel Biro
Jacek Ludwig Scarso, Russell Matthews, Danny Standing: voices
 Daniel Biro: electronics, electric piano, percussion