Oscuras Flores

Dutch-based trio Mansur consists of electronic musician Jason Kohnen (aka breakcore legend Bong-Ra and former leader of the Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble), Hungarian vocalist Martina Horvath, and oud player Dimitry El-Demerdashi (formerly of Russian overtone singing collective Phurpa). Oscuras Flores is the groups fourth release overall, following an EP, a studio album, and an improvised live set. Titled after a Federico Garcia Lorca poem and inspired by Indian environmental activist Vandana Shiva, the album fuses elements of the various genres the musicians have previously worked in (ritual ambient, dark jazz, post-industrial) to form a unique, hard-to-place sound. Haunting oud melodies call out from the center of a darkened room, and Horvaths enchanting voice follows the notes, jumping off into the unknown. "Salome" is a particularly mesmerizing combination of distorted, crunching beats and shining, multi-layered vocal chants. "Portal" begins with a sample of Shiva speaking about the creative energy of the universe, then develops into a delicately hypnotic piece drawing from flamenco, with castanets and tightly clipped handclaps accompanying the blown-out beats and luminous vocals. "Yaga" balances a rich, atmospheric melody with harsh, splintered percussion. Channeling darker forces, "Relics" begins with guttural throat singing, and later incorporates a droning blast of black metal guitars, pointing in the direction of Horvath and Kohnens doom project, the Answer Lies in the Black Void. Some of Mansurs songs resonate more strongly than others, but theres little else that their otherworldly sound can be compared to, and Oscuras Flores is the groups most fully developed release so far. ~ Paul Simpson