Search - Various Artists :: Global Voices, A Vox Set: Traditional, Sacred, Contemporary

An exploration of the human voice is used in song all around the world, here split into three areas--traditional, sacred, and contemporary--each with its own CD. What sets this box apart is the fact that it largely relies on unknown names, so you're hearing the voice, not the artist. Curiously, it's the contemporary music that seems weakest, with a more innate sense of familiarity, while the traditional offers the most delights, with Laos's "Khamvong Insixiengmai" a standout. The sacred music, running the gamut from Indian ragas to gospel, offers an interesting perspective on the way we praise our deities. The vox humana is the instrument we share; the emotions it can produce are almost infinite. Listening to this you're not just exploring the globe--you're also looking at yourself. --Chris Nickson