NEW ZION W. CYRO
SUNSHINE SEAS (RARENOISE)
BACK IN STOCK! With Sunshine Seas, the New Zion Trio's latest project (and RareNoise debut), Saft further builds on the success of New Zion's first two releases "Fight Against Babylon" and "CHALIWA" (Veal Records).
Saft not only supplies all the piano and an assortment of vintage keyboards and synths, he also plays all the electric bass and guitar parts on this heavy Dub influenced recording.
Brazilian percussionist Cyro Baptista, a longtime colleague of Saft's, adds his signature percussive flavors and ebullient presence on such mesmerizing dub groove tracks as the opening "BrazilJah" and the beguiling "Chalice Pipe", which has Baptista on vocals and cuica and Saft comping in a gentle bossa nova vein on acoustic guitar.
The darkly insinuating "Onda" features Baptista's massive ceramic drum work and has him singing in Portuguese about waves on the beach in a flow metaphor which deftly captures the feeling of this evocative track.
The heavy dub track "Ranking" is a prime showcase for Cyro's mastery of the jaw harp (or Jew's harp).
Saft's wife Vanessa adds alluring vocals on the lovely title track Sunshine Seas . Brad Jones anchors three tracks -- "Chalice Pipe," "Sunshine Seas" and "Lamb's Bread" -- with deep upright bass grooves.