Razem

In Polish razem means ‘together’ and this album is a meeting of two bands: Babra from Hungary and Megitza (aka Małgorzata Babiarz) from Poland. Babra specialise in the fizzing south Slav folk music of Hungary played on various sizes of plucked tambura. Megitza sings both traditional songs from the Polish highlands and composes her own music. As it happens the lead vocalists in both bands are bass-playing women, Veronika Varga in Babra and Megitza herself.

It’s the intricacy, delicacy and liveliness of the plucked sound that comes over strongly – with some nice flute work in the opening track ‘Flow at the Gorals’ and bubbling clarinet on ‘Goosebumps Vibes’. Lyrics begin in Hungarian, but then turn to Polish and alternate. The lengthy ‘Mothers’ Csárdás’ sounds like it’s probably an original song and despite the csárdás being a Hungarian dance, the lyrics begin in Polish. Then it moves into what sounds like a traditional Hungarian tune. ‘Jedzie Kupiec’ recalls a gorale song from the Polish highlands, while ‘Węgrzy in 9/8’ is in a Balkan-esque south Slav style. The music is catchy and fun and the mix feels totally natural.