Arkansas Democrat-Gazette,
Album Review
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Diaphonica
After all that lively music, it might be time for a lie-down. What better way to bring some calm and relaxation than these 18 gentle lullabies collected by the all-female vocal ensemble Kitka? Most are from eastern Europe and are mostly sung a cappella. The haunting title song has a toy piano and a toy glockenspiel, while the wonderful “Slow to the Dawn,” an American/Ladino tune, has strings that add a sweet tenderness (Ladino is a language from old Spanish).
These performances capture the soothing, gentle power of a mother’s voice and love for her child through these lullabies of Romanian, Greek, Bulgarian, Georgian, Russian Jewish and Albanian and other origins. Kitka’s intricate vocal sound is akin to the Bulgarian Voices and Trio Mediaeval.
These lullabies also evoke the mother’s prayer seeking divine protection for her child. And while they are sung mostly in their language of origin, the emotional context is as unmistakable as the striking beauty of the singing. A balm for adults as well, Kitka’s haunting, otherworldly and peerless vocals have never sounded better. 12/23/09
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