From time to time there comes an album that reminds us why music exists in the first place. Where the words "pure", "back to basics" and "deep" make sense again, with music that doesn't care about what's fashionable or not, coming from today but just sounding timeless. Jhelisa was first known during the british acid jazz period in the 90's, with "Friendly Pressure" being her most recognizable song. Before recording "A Primitive Guide To Being There", she travelled around Africa and Brasil, to understand her music roots and ended up in New Orleans to feel what makes this city so special in musical history. And there she witnessed the Katrina Hurricane and the feeling that the best things can't be taken for granted. The result is an album that takes something from all these experiences, creating songs that are contemporary but still inspired by traditional genres like gospel, blues or even indian music. An intense journey through life in general, that starts with an ode to freedom -"Freedom's Land"- and ends up being a question of survival -"Survivin' (In The Key Of E Flat)"-. In a few words, one of those rare occasions when music transcends itself and becomes larger than life.
2 comments:
jhelisa! one of my favorite :)
This is an absolutely gorgeous album, full of emotional and musical textures sadly absent from the majority of releases these days. Well done, J!
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