|
ANJA GARBAREK Smiling & Waving (Virgin/EMI) Anja is the Laurie Anderson of this new century, and the daughter of Norwegian jazz great Jan Garbarek. Anja first came to my attention with her second album Balloon Mood. Collaborators on Smiling and Waving include Mark Hollis (Talk Talk), Robert Wyatt, Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri (formerly of Japan). Smiling and Waving doesn't reflect their influences, just compliments them. Anja creates sounds that are sampled, performed and original; and her voice is soft and melancholy. 'You Know' has a classical atmosphere, and is delightfully playful in a Bjork sort of way. 'Big Mouth' is quite sexual. 'The Diver' is a bizarre duet with Mark Hollis. But it is 'Stay Tuned' that reflects the overall flavour of Smiling and Waving; that is an artistic, reflective, aural tapestry. It would be fair to say that you might not have ever heard an album quite like this before. Gazz Click on album image to see larger album cover 
|
