Hanitra – Songs from Madagascar – Lasa (ARC Music EUCD2688, 2017)
A frequent complaint from listeners about world music releases is that they are too various. Artists from musical rivulets outside the mainstream seem to feel like representatives of their beloved homelands’ entire musical tradition, and try to share it all in one CD release. It is a natural impulse, akin to the “First Release Syndrome” reviewers often sense even in mainstream pop. It is, however, rarely possible for an artist to successfully pack forty pounds of ethnomusicology into a two-pound bag. Hanitra, on ARC’s new offering, “Songs from Madagascar – Lasa,” is an exception.
Song topics on this disc range, as liner notes announce, from “deforestation … to same-sex love, maltreatment of wives and a rebellion of housewives,” yet has continuity and impact as a package.
Hanitra has an ideally broad background as an individual and in educational background, and is a perfect representative of Madagascar’s various physical and cultural concerns. The tracks are as much songlines as songs, providing listeners maps of her country and her heart. Elegantly simple in instrumentation, the songs are beautifully layered and sophisticated in presentation, thanks both to the backing combo and the engineers. “Lasa” is a tribute to Hanitra, her recording team and her label.
Buy Songs from Madagascar – Lasa
Author: Arthur Shuey
Arthur has been reviewing music for publications since 1976 and began focusing almost exclusively on world music in 2012.
His musical background includes past presidencies of the Cape Fear Musicians Association and Blues Society of the Lower Cape Fear, founding membership in nine other blues societies, service on 17 music festival planning committees, two decades of teaching harmonica to individuals and groups, operating a small recording studio and performing solo and in combos for 30 years.
Arthur has written professionally since 1975, pieces ranging from short fiction to travel articles, humor to poetry, mainly for local and regional entertainment media. His blog,” Shuey’s World,” is featured at www.accesswilmington.com.
