Sainkho Namtchylak: advice to amateurs, the “Bjork of the steppes” is completely crazy ... The Russian singer “connected” to telluric forces cultivates eccentricity and practices “food art”. She has the voice of an elf or cave monk, depending on the mood, and uses it to convey the epic accents of the great outdoors, trigger sonorous aurora borealis or imitate a flight of crows in winter, during scenic trances that last. of the spiritualism session.

Sainkho Namtchylak (voice), Ned Rothenberg (clarinet, alto saxophone, shakuhachi). Namtchylak and Rothenberg have a rich history together, first recorded on 1996’s Amulet and accelerating in recent years with the formation of SainkhoKosmos, which can be heard on Cafe Oto’s and Echo of the Ancestors.

Some of Rothenberg and Namtchylak’s collaborations tread the laid-back feeling of lounge rock and trip hop with their glossy production, like Stepmother City or Echo of the Ancestors. There’s a greater energy and immediacy in their live performances together, captured on Amulet, and here. Amulet succeeds not just because of a complimentary approach to folk musics or overtones, but Namtchylak’s emotional rawness. On Antiphonen, her contributions are more restrained, significantly less guttural, less visceral. The effect is a confusing emotivity without the cathartic payoff; her sighs, wails, and cries carry the emotional baggage of human communication but seem uninvested in it. Surely a challenge for many vocalists. Still, this is a worthwhile snapshot of this famous duo - the best since Amulet

Cast: Sainkho Namtchylak, Ned Rothenberg