The Luminescent
Orchestii just released a new CD called Neptune's Daughter from the
Nine Mile Records label. Luminescent
Orchestrii is another great example the fusion coming out of the New York music scene. They get interwoven with Gogol Bordello and other musicians fusing Roma and Balkan influences to create great music the acts like a spokesperson for the region and the sound. Neptune's Daughter still has these Balkan influences but you can tell the the musicians are creating their own sound and one should be careful to label them as a definitive representation of traditional Balkan music. However, one should feel comfortable in their musical ability and distinctive sound.
My Introduction to the Luminescent Orcherstrii:
It was the fall of 2003 and I was visiting my sister in NYC while she was in school in Brooklyn. For whatever reason, we were wondering around DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) on a Saturday as the evening drew close. If I remember correctly, it had rained and we were looking for a place to get out of the rain but most of the shops were closing. As we searched, we started here some form of music emanating from a loading dock / garage on Main St., it seem like an impromptu concert space because I can't find the location online.
We happened upon the beginning of the a set by Luminescent Orcherstrii just as it was getting dark. The crowd was typically Brooklyn, meaning beyond definition and characterization other than hipster/young professional in New York. As we walked in, they played one of their more well known songs, Taraf Hijacked, which is a loving imitation to the Romanian Roma band called Taraf de Haidouks. My sister, on impulse, promptly bought their Live recording without either of us understanding the genre or even really the name of the group performing. Until this year, the record sat dormant until I rediscovered it while searching for more Balkan Music.
The Luminescent Orchestrii and Neptune's Daughter:
This is by no means a Gogol Bordello record, neither is it Balkan Beat Box reformed. Luminescent Orchestrii uses these catchwords as most lessor known musicians do to allow people to notice their music. I'm by no means an expert but I would consider that Luminescent Orchestrii leans more towards folk music (spanned internationally) than it does have something to do with "Gypsy Punk" or Balkan Beat Mashups. However, if I was Luminescent Orchestrii, I too would use the same strategy to market my new album. The music is within the same sphere and music scene. Anyone that enjoys Gogol Bordello or Balkan Beat Box should give Luminescent Orchestrii a chance to expand their folk and Balkan knowledge ( I also recommend listen to native Balkan musicians as well). They play at the same clubs at Gogol Bordello and other Balkan musicians at the the Bulgarian Bar or Mehanata.
The tracks vary in style and tempo ranging from Bulgarian and Moldovian traditional folk to folk ballads of their own making. For the most part, the cd takes on a slow tempo that matches its folksy sound and lyrics.
Plays:
Bottom Line: Good folk music from New York with Balkan, Turkish and Cuban influences. Definitely listen to it. Its another great example of how Balkan music is influencing music around the world.
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