Sainkho Namtchylak- Like a Bird or Spirit, Not a Face (2016)

Sainkho Namtchylak- Like a Bird or Spirit, Not a Face (2016)

By: Ghost Writer

By this time Sainkho Namtchylak, the great Mongolian Tuvan singer should be considered a world music treasure, the woman has created a series of unbelievable records that not only belong to the world music genre, but also to the experimental specter, giving herself the chance to record with jazz artists, among others, this time, teaming up for this Like a Bird or Spirit, Not a Face, with the great Tuareg musicians known as Tinariwen, and giving us the chance to appreciate this great clash of cultures coming out in the opening song for this record; Nomadic Mood features prominent guitars, vocals and percussion by the Saharan band, giving the song not only the desert blues feel, but the larger than life drifting vocals of Sainkho.

For The Road Back, Sainkho and company go for a more near ambient, more drone approach, percussion is spare and harsh, and there is more field recording nature in the song, led by the amazing vocals of Namtchylak who at times recall the particular timbre of the great Yoko Ono, especially on Ono's great seventies records, in fact, it seems that Namtchylak is using Ono's influence to give a little more accessibility to her music on this recording, going from a kiddie voice to really harsh growling latter on.

The bass line on Dushkan Ezim To sounds like lifted straight from the Velvet Underground's dark classic Lady Godiva's Operation, as it wanders thru the space while Sainkho lays down some serious wide range of sound vocals, going from pure tenderness to rabid animal like fury,  while on So Strange! So Strange! Volatile dynamics are back with more desert blues snake guitars and bass with Sainkho ululating singing recalling a brass instrument, and then going heavy on the rhythm side of things leaning heavy on percussions on the great tribalistic Worker Song.

Erge Chokka To reminds me immediately of the sound of Ono's Rising, with Sainkho harsh vocals and prominent bass playing by the Tinariwen guys, proving that this seemingly awkward collaboration the end produces more gold than one could be led to believe, reaffirming the modus operandi the great Bill Laswell applied to the musical collaborations he likes to produce.

The great thing here is that all over the record, Sainkho is able to put in full display the capabilities of her amazing voice, going from pure tenderness, like the confessional Melody in My Heart, with a beautiful guitar arrangements, to pure rawness like on Nomadic Blues, topping herself with the almost ethereal performance of The Snow Fall Without You, that for some small seconds bring to mind some of the most delicate passages of the great Joni Mitchell, proving here that with the right companion Sainkho is a powerful and unstoppable force of nature, and here the Tinariwen guys simply show they are great at understanding Sainkho's art to her very last breath, just check out the formidable closing tune called Nostalgia To, in which the worlds of Tuvan music and Tuareg blues combine in a seamless harmony that demands you to pay full attention, yes, Namtchylak is a global treasure!