Folktron
Fusion Embassy (49 mins)
In the second full-length album from Bulgarian folk distorters Oratnitza, the quartet continues their quest to meld their traditional music with international rhythms and global bass, through completely acoustic means. The sound is quite old-school in many ways – harking back to the golden era of world fusion, introducing elements from drum’n’bass, electronica and dub. But they’re not afraid to let the folk styles take over.
Oddly, considering that the group define themselves as ‘ethnobass’, bass sounds are disappointingly absent. The low-end is provided by a keyed didgeridoo, which sounds great but doesn’t drop to the bowel-worrying levels that some of the pieces call for. Likewise, some sections feel like they could do with deeper rhythms than the single-drum percussion can really deliver.
There are places where the fusion really shines, though: the dark harmonies between Bulgarian singing and didgeridoo, such as in the tracks ‘Yaninka’ and ‘Beginning’, are wonderful; and guest solos of kaba bagpipes and galdulka fiddle help place the album’s musical provenance.
Alone in the otherwise all-acoustic set, the last track is a remix from drum’n’bass duo High Roll, fully bringing on the electronics and drum machines. It’s an interesting look at the other side of the fusion coin to end the album.