Dancing on the Heads of Snakes

Orontes began as a Syrian-Spanish project in the city of Homs, but ceased to function when the catastrophic civil war made further collaboration impossible. Now they have re-emerged, led by oud player Michel Gasco, with an all-Spanish line-up. The musicians are from diverse backgrounds and the songs on this album – all Gasco originals – have a non-specific Middle Eastern style, without referring specifically to any one country or genre.

Across the six tracks, the varied and tasteful percussion carries the music along with just the right amount of propulsion. However, the compositions mostly consist of short melodic fragments repeated endlessly by the oud, sometimes with other instruments playing in unison. The result is a feeling of listening to lengthy introductions for songs that never happen. The flute and violin are mostly used to add some atmospherics, but the sound balance puts the oud way out in front and there is little sense of creative interplay. Along with the conspicuously short playing time, this gives the whole album a half-baked feel. Orontes are clearly adventurous musicians and maybe some new collaborations will stimulate them to greater things.