By Keith Walsh Informed by Wabi-sabi philosophy, Sienná’s new LP ‘Wa-Kei-Sei-Jyaku’ ‘is an inspiring nine-track set packed with innovative sounds, rhythms and melodies and a pervasive sense of awe and inventiveness.
A Japanese ex-patriot in Norway, Sienná creates electronic music from two worlds, making her uniquely qualified to approach global music in new ways. The album title translates to ‘Harmony, Respect, Purity, Tranquility.’ Created using Logic Pro X, a battery of virtual synths and loops, and ample imagination, it’s a set of tunes inspired by the sacred shrine, Tenkawa, in Nara, Japan, and the philosophy of Wabi-sabi. (For my conversation with Sienná about her approaches to making music, please visit popularculturebeat.com )
Unusual hybrid sounds (are they acoustic mutations or purely digital?) from woodwinds, stringed instruments and percussion delight the ear on the opening two tracks “So May It Be” and “Ajikan Meditation,” with a cool spoken word performance on this second track. Sienná excels at sound creation and selection, and her mixing and mastering on this album is pristine.
Perhaps it’s an indication of how far ahead of their time Bowie’s late 70s collaborations with Brian Eno, Low and Heroes were, because I do hear some of his ‘Japanese influence” reflected back here, but this time in a more authentic form. “Encircle Me Now” continues in a kind of ambient realm, with hybrid synthetic sounds, the cool funky bass that Sienná mastered lifetimes ago, and a dance-y beat with flirtatious percussion. The title of “Evils In, Fortune In” reminds us not to fall back on the simplicity of black and white thinking, and the synth bass is even more wonderfully weird and funky, as the song increases in intensity.
“Four Stones, Three Waters, Eight Forests” paints a calm soundscape with watery arpeggios and strings, conjuring up the serenity of nature. “One Life, One Encounter” features a jazzy vibe, a lovely vocal, and a message about the miracles found in relationship. “Red Bird Rises, Dragon Awakes” features a new approach to a Kraftwerkian rhythmic style, overlayed with digital/organic Koto and glitchy electronic percussion….and more funky synth bass!
The lovely title track is a reflective tune with a slow pace and mellow feel, starting off with a delicate plucked stringed instrument and pentatonic scales, then transforming into an ethereal piece with layers of violins. “Pay It Forward” encompasses all the positivity of Sienná’s message in a quirky number with sampled background vocals and a humorous robotic voice calling us to define the world in harmonious new ways.
Wa-KeiSei-Jyaku is chockful of fascinating sounds and beats never heard before. While keyboard musicians have ventured into sacred realms from the very beginning (think of the Bach family’s sacred organ music, or the trippy Moog experiments of the 60s and 70s) with Sienná’s powerful musical imagination and her control over the novel sonic palettes of 21st century music making machines, uniquely new listening experiences are cultivated.
Sienná Web
Sienná On YouTube
Sienná On Bandcamp
A Conversation With Sienná At Popular Culture Beat dot com
finis
