This is the first album from Bardo State, the Amsterdam duo of Frank Wijn and Dorian Broekhuyse, and it features vocals by Jo Lemaire, Carmen van den Brakel, and Kevin Mark Trail. Their MySpace site says the duo was formed in 2003 to make classical music more accessible, in this case by mixing it with electronica.

1. Mariposa
2. Paradis
3. I Feel You
4. The Jezebel Spirit
5. Mio Dolore
6. Poete Electronique
7. This is Not America
8. Kosobo
9. Seneca
10. Sospiro
11. The Man With the Child in His Eyes
12. Solitario
13. Lifeblood
14. Cover Me

The classical is most noticeable in the often operatic vocals of the women. The background is mostly keyboards, both acoustic piano and synths, with occasional beats and acoustic guitar. One track is just classical piano. Many songs, like the title track, are "beautiful voices" type, where piano and a wash of string-styled keyboard settings back the women singing in French or English. There are also songs that are more pop oriented, and some instrumentals.

Bardo State claim Phillip Glass as one of their influences, but these fourteen tracks are about as far away from being dissonant as you can get. The music is not complex, but it is nearly always lush, and wonderfully melodic.

You might spot a couple cover songs in the form of Kate Bush's "The Man With The Child in His Eyes" (1978), which she wrote and recorded when she was only 16 years old, as well as David Bowie's "This is Not America" (1985). If "The Jezebel Spirit" is a cover of Brian Eno & David Byrne's song, I don't hear it.

You can listen to the whole CD, at lower sound quality, at the band's website at www.bardostate.com, along with some fan remixes.

~ Dave Howell

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