Amira Medunjanin & TrondheimSolistene, Ascending Review
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Amira Medunjanin is a vocalist, humanitarian, and global ambassador for the culture and music of her native Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the wider Balkan region. Medunjanin’s vocal control and warm timbre is the perfect vehicle to combine sounds from both the East and West. The sevdalinke (sevdah songs) Medunjanin learned from her mother started her fascination with the oral tradition of Bosnia and led her to devoting herself to creating a unique voice within sevdalinke. To capture the expressive capacity of the music, Medunjanin has searched far and wide for people who shared her ideas about sevdah, and the best way to present it. Turning the sevdah inside out, finding new contexts and forms within a tradition that is hundreds of years old is the journey and gift that Medunjanin has given to the world through her music. She is releasing a new album titled, Ascending, a collection of eleven songs that celebrate sevdah. Produced by Medunjanin and co-produced Bojan Zulfikarpašić with arrangements by Ante Gelo, except track 7 and 11, by Bojan Z. Ascending also features the rich sounds of The Trondheim Soloists (Trondheimsolistene), an exciting string ensemble from Norway.
Positives:
The arrangements are lush, full of orchestral texture and allow Medunjanin to blossom with her powerful and uniquely styled singing.
Bottom Line:
Amira Medunjanin & TrondheimSolistene have created an outstanding album in Ascending, infused with the rich sounds of the Balkan region. Medunjanin’s singing is full, resonate and her pitch and articulations are solid, allowing her to express any subtlety that she hears, and to bring its musical phrase to life. TrondheimSolistene’s performance is equally stunning throughout the project, their playing is balanced, passionately performed and authentic to the Medunjanin’s style. The rhythms throughout Ascending are deeply intoxicating. Pianist Bojan Zulfikarpasic and guitarist Ante Gelo both add a special touch to the project. Medunjanin is simply amazing in this setting, her voice is powerful, bringing the music to life with her skills and passion. The experience of Ascending will leave you moved, a listen well-worth the experience. Highly Recommended. That’s the short of it!