Ways of the Voice

by Warren Burt

LEO KUPPER: WAYS OF THE VOICE

(Pogus CD 21018-2)

New York based record producer (and composer) Al Margolis is dedicated to bringing lesser known and historical electronic music figures to light. He has already produced CDs of early works of Pauline Oliveros (Pogus 21012-2), Rune Lindblad (Pogus 21011-2 & Pogus 21014-2) and others. His most recent release is a CD of collaborative pieces between Belgian composer Leo Kupper and Brazilian singer/ improviser Anna Maria Kieffer. The collaborations, which span a 16 year period, use Kieffer's amazing voice as material for further elaboration (mostly using granular synthesis techniques) and also for the lovely melodic quality of her voice. The work deals with many aspects of Brazilian culture, from popular prayers, set for two voices and vocal fragments in the first piece, thru the sounds of the rainforest, used in Anamak and Annazone, the second and fourth pieces, to an electronic fragmentation and reconstruction of her voice in Amkea, the third piece, of which the third movement Recit 2 has some ravishing vocal textures and treatments. The musical material of Anamak additionally, derives from Kieffer's research into the music of the indigenous peoples of Brazil. An absorbing, beautiful, and extremely listener-friendly album.

(this review was first published in Chroma)