Strange Suite

Guitarist Ateshkhan Yuseinov's new album truly is a Strange Suite; its carefully ordered tracks lead listeners down a path of exciting turns, styles, ensembles and attitudes. With his roots in Bulgarian wedding music, traditional sounds weave throughout Yuseinov's compositions in an impressive melding of genres. Balkan tonalities and rhythms lie alongside flamenco, ballads, prog rock and groove, while the title-track transforms into swirling jazz, complete with walking bass and dizzying improvisation.

The album features numerous collaborators. Alongside more conventional jazz-rock instrumentation, Venera Todorova's powerful vocals soar over two tracks, while Kostadin Genchev's smokey kaval (flute) brings a folk feel to ‘Sunrise Over the Balkans’. Most unusually, Yuseinov is joined for two pieces by 2012 beatboxing world champion Alexander Deyanov, aka SkilleR. The pair duet with outstanding rhythmic precision, synchronised flourishes and depth of sound.

The album is driven by technical excellence, led by Yuseinov's virtuosic guitar playing, his punctuated rhythms, intricacy and accuracy at lightning speeds. Tough impressive, at times this furious precision verges on a mechanical rigidity that lacks space for breath. Perhaps for this reason, the album works best with the volume turned up, capturing the energy, fervour and soulfulness that deserve to be projected.