Kin Za Za
Country of origin:
Canada
Type of music generally:
Ethereal, with a smattering of Celtic folk and pop
Status:
Most recent release, number one in shambala (2001)
See also:
Kin Za Za site
Comparisons:
Mandalay, Clannad, Enya
Covers/own material:
Own
General comments:
See album comments below
Recommended first album:
number one in shambala is their debut
Recordings:
number one in shambala (2001)
number one in shambala
Release info:
2001—Sense Records—kzz 001
Availability:
See website for availability
Ecto priority:
Recommended for fans of ethereal music
Group members:
Dimitri Soukonnov ("Dimi")—lyrics and all non-vocal dimensions (guitars, piano, synthesizers, loop construction, bass)
Jozy Fever ("Jozeyeland")—vocal lines
Guest artists:
Blair Lofgren—cello
Oleska Lozowchuk—organ, harmonium, accordion, keyboards
Nicolas Boulerice—vielle à roue
Anna Yerno—flamenco steps
Produced by:
Dimitri Soukonnov
Comments:
There's a chain of stores that are in many upscale malls called Fire and Ice. They specialize in beautiful baubles made out of minerals: topaz, fool's gold, amethyst, amber and malachite. The things they sell, like chess sets, or Egyptian deities, are exquisitely made, but you wonder exactly where you'd put them. The store also has a vague New Age affectation, as if it has to justify itself. Kin Za Za's debut CD reminds me of Fire and Ice. The music they make is exquisite, well-crafted New Age pop; imagine Enya vectored in the direction of Mandalay. Dimitri Soukonnov crafts intricate tapestries of electronic and acoustics, often augmented by cellos, the harmonium, accordion and violins. It's beautiful, and shimmering, and smooth; the melodies add enough left turns to keep it from being too predictable. Jozy Fever has a gorgeous voice, classically-trained and pure—at times, it recalls Loreena McKennitt or Louisa John-Krol.
But there is a lack of idiosyncrasy that stops the recording from over-the-top wonderful. It's very pretty, with images of rivers, blackbirds and mystical mirrors in the lyrics, but no real startling images. In fact, all of the idiosyncrasy is steered towards marketing. Both Dimitri and Jozyland (as she likes to be called) are photogenic. She appears in a medieval Stevie Nicks-like dress on the cover, while he looks like Dr. Van Helsing in a black cape and top hot. A vague, ill-defined New Age sentiment pervades the packaging. As with Fire and Ice, the spiritual is contrived and tacked on. It's a little distracting. I wish that they channeled some of this energy in creating a more distinctive style. As it is, they are good, not-yet-great purveyors of the New Age pop style. (ethereal_lad@livejournal.com)
Thanks to Craig Gidney for work on this entry.
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