Nova Era

The quality of musicianship on this latest offering from the extraordinary Barcelona Gipsy Balkan Orchestra is never in doubt; the textures are extraordinarily rich and the instrumentation varies from blistering and furious to subtle and melodious in the blink of an eye. It is their musical ability as well as their panache and dexterity that make BGKO such a force to be reckoned with. They are, perhaps, a quintessential Barcelona band – melding an enormous range of sounds, influences and languages together in a sonic tapestry that draws the listener in with its exotic romanticism and holds their attention with a combination of joy and drama.

The recent addition of honey voiced Sicilian jazz singer Margherita Abita to their already multicultural ranks heralds the ‘new era’ the album's title proclaims – whether the casual listener would necessarily be able to distinguish a marked direction change in this already well-established outfit's output is another question, but maybe that misses the point. BGKO are skilful and faithful interpreters of traditional music in a changing world, and in an era where so many borders are being newly reinforced they continue to swarm over the fences in a determined display of joyful defiance.