Voices

As mentioned in the notes to my recent Typecast, I’ve been collecting LPs of Georgian vocal music. As with most music, with quantity, I’m now starting to notice some distinct differences in approach, style, instrumentation (where applicable), etc. Some of these differences are interesting, like the nearly straight middle eastern sounding music from an lp recorded by men in business suits holding a large drum, but I’m still most compelled by the loud, joyous, and almost raucous polyphonic harmonies of the most “traditional” records – the ones featuring groups of men dressed in identical outfits strapped with large daggers.

I also favor the straight vocal music – no instrumentation. Hearing voices with this much power can make you realize how underused the voice is in music, and how much attention is placed on artificial, electronic, or otherwise instruments. Those that use their voice as an instrument are also perhaps revealing a certain honesty or part of themselves that is impossible via other material. And it’s not just the idea of using the voice, but how it is used. For me, I’m finding endless fascination with how the Georgian’s use the voice, and that use is leading me to wonder about many other things, musical and not.