PRINCE OF ASSYRIA - MISSING NOTE (CD)

"A low-key acoustic gem, it carries remnants of the DNA of Leonard Cohen and Smog's Bill Callahan, as well as the more stately corners of Nick Cave's back catalogue, underpinned by a quietly ornate piano melody and topped off with Ninos Dankha's sonorous tones. One of the most startling realisations about his music is how he fuses together the contrasting facets of his background, and there's a rich cultural diversity in his songwriting which reflects his life. Born in Baghdad, Dankha and his family fled to Sweden when he was one year old, and in combining narratives about his Assyrian heritage with more traditional Western folk styles he presents an enchanting hybrid. The range of instrumentation on Missing Note is equally diverse. Though his own style remains rooted in folk, there are plenty of other ingredients introduced to the fold which give additional depth to Dankha's songwriting. Whether it's the tabla rhythms and orchestral strains which decorate the sumptuous Another Love Song, or the use of accordion and swelling horns on the jazz-tinged Sail the Ships Away, which help to create a fun atmosphere which is, oddly, bordering on funk. Uncovering surprises at every turn, there are untold treasures to be discovered here." (label info)