Search - Electropleinair Sound Diary :: The Wind Rises

Martha has a long history in classical, avant-garde, and rock music as a composer who could (and would) try anything--from "Switched on Mozart" to industrial gothics. His concept here was to bring a diverse group of collaborator/performers into the Hungarian countryside, gather field recordings, and perform on location with local artists, pooling the many streams of Hungarian music into an adventurous whole. Literary scion Endre Skarosi contributed text and vocals; Sandor Bernath /y/ conceived instruments and ideas, and organized the recording process. Marta Sebestyen (the well-known folk musician) created vocal arrangements and provided her inimitable voice. Together with a large cast of singers and musicians, they have created a discordant, aggressive, and sometimes disconcerting portrait of the Hungarian countryside that brings to mind Zappa, Kodaly, and Partch. This 1987 album barely saw the light outside of eastern Europe, but now has found a place in the dawn of the CD reissue. --Louis Gibson