Yasnaïa – Oniro (Album – Zoharum)
Genre/Influences: Ritual, Tribal, Ambient, Experimental.
Format: Digital, 2CD.
Background/Info: Yasnaïa was a Belgian project driven by former Hybryds female singer Leen Smets aka Yasnaïa. The “Oniro”-album was originally released in 1996 on World Serpent. This re-issue features a bonus disc with live tracks originally recorded in München (Germany) in 1997 plus two tracks originally released as single and one previously unreleased song.
Content: The sound universe of Yasnaïa was mixing several influences, but was mainly centered on Tribal and Ritual music. One of the main characteristics remains the unique way of singing by Leen Smets, creating an elevating effect mixing sensuality and rite. The music has something intimate and minimalistic, some tracks becoming darker while others are clearly reflecting an Experimental spirit. Electronic treatments are achieving some of the last album songs.
The live recordings deliver several songs that didn’t appear on the album, but sound the same way.
+ + + : I got the chance to see Yasnaïa live and it’s a concert I’ve kept in mind. The performance had something magic and filled with reverie and mystic elegance. That’s precisely what “Oniro” stands for and the songs haven’t lost their original strength. It sounds like an intimate testimony, but still a kind of imaginary erotic rite. The harmony between vocals and instruments is absolutely perfect. I like songs like “Kailash” and “Who am I?”, but still some of the live tracks like “Last Night” and “Charun”. “Yakul”, which was originally released as a single, is another attention grabber. I also have to say a word about the great digipak of this release. The scene is missing an artist like Yasnaïa today!
– – – : Some of the more Experimental passages aren’t my favorites, the real strength of this project clearly was its Tribal and Ritual approach.
Conclusion: If you didn’t discover this album back in 1996, this re-issue is a perfect opportunity to discover a talented artist while the bonus disc is a true little extra.
Best songs: “Kailash”, “Who am I?”, “La Fusion D’Angoisse Et De Curiosité”, “Last Night”, “Charun”, “Yakul”.
Rate: (8).
Artist: www.hybryds.com / www.facebook.com/Hybryds-music-319803692290078
Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum
About Yasnaïa
Yasnaïa was the solo name of Leen Smets, a Belgian singer who joined Hybryds in the 1990s, when that project became a duo balancing Ritual and Cyber-Punk influences with founder Sandy Nys, according to a Side-Line interview with Nys. Under the Yasnaïa name, Smets released “Oniro” in 1996 on World Serpent, a record centered on Tribal and Ritual music built around her vocal style. Zoharum’s reissue adds a bonus disc of live material recorded in Munich in 1997, two songs first issued as a single, and one previously unreleased track. “Oniro” is the release covered in this review.
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I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
