SERART
SERART
SERJICAL STRIKE/COLUMBIA
LINKS:
serart.net
When disparate musical worlds collide, the result can be either catastrophic or ground-breaking. So, it is understandable that the music world got a bit nervous at the possibility of a collaboration between System of a Down frontman Serj Tankian and avant-garde Turkish folk artist Arto Tuncboyaciyan. Heavy metal and Turkish folk music; an unlikely pairing, right? Never underestimate the talent of either one of these musicians. Several months of recording and the result was Serart -- the first release on Tankian’s Serjical Strike Records -- a brilliant fusion of genres and cultures that defies definition.
The intro is Tankian, unexpectedly, playing a beautifully, melancholic piano. “Cinema”, the album’s first real track is a cross-pollination of genres that is reflective of the album’s global flavor. A dollop of Indian tabla drums eases into a hybrid of techno drum-beats and jazzy, double-bass and trumpet fills. Flecks of scat give the piece texture, while a Chinese guchin adds various shades of color. Mid-way there is playful tug-of-war between hardcore hip-hop and jungle beats before it all swerves back to where the song began--A very dynamic and cohesive piece. “Devil’s Wedding” is a hodgepodge of complex Brazilian percussion, vibrant Pan-African rhythms and spirited Armenian folk chants that weave in and out of each other, taking listeners on a wild poly-rhythmic ride down the global music superhighway. For all its world beat glory, Tankian still manages to add a touch of metal guitar crunch, though. Many listeners will probably notice a slight difference between the first and second halves of Serart. The joyful melodies and jubilant percussion have taken a back seat to darker, melancholic, and more overtly socio-political pieces. “Love Is The Peace” is a solid example. The song centers around the Middle East, not so much musically, as in a voiceless, yet powerful message that mixes the sound of war -- machine guns and bombs -- with Tuncboyacian’s haunting voice. “Facing The Plastic” is a mélange of old and new. Tankian’s signature, off-key crooning and lively mandolin picking give “Facing the Plastic” a distinctive old-world Mediterranean flavor. Yet, the infusion of hip-hop beats, rock riffs, jazzy base-lines and Tankian’s street-protester/politico rap add an edgy, contemporary feel. Now, envision Fez at 10:00 on a Saturday morning. You are dressed in a Kachaba, arms full of bags teeming with spices, Ksra (sourdough Moroccan bread) and spiced lamb. You are debating with a stubble-faced Tunisian vendor -- Frankincense and Myrrh wafting from his shop -- over the price of a fowl you want to cook for supper. The call to worship has just started and the streets are buzzing with people scuttling off to pray. This is a typical day in a Moroccan marketplace and “I Don’t Want To Go Back Empty Handed” takes you there. The way the song blends Middle Eastern percussion and religious chants with West and North-African choral lines is a beautiful way to end the album. Anyone who appreciates well-orchestrated, thought-provoking hybridization of music will love it.

----Eric V. White