DESCRIPTION:
Artist: Suns of Arqa
Title: Stranger Music
Label: Arka Sound Records
Genre: Ambient, Dub, Electronic
Date: Apr-2011
Psyshop: http://www.psyshop.com/shop/CDs/arq/arq1cd137.html
Web: http://sunsofarqa.co.uk/

Arka Sounds:

OK, so the thought of the world trance music wonders Suns of Arqa doing a cover versions album of Leonard Cohen songs didn't at first leap off the page or even into my CD player at first. However, after the first initial shock of this venture the album works exceedingly well and creates a weird but fascinating hybrid that traverses several barriers. It would be pointless to compare the tracks to the original songs as they sound very different, so I would be constantly repeating myself saying how different they are.

"One Night I Burned" has a jitter beat and vocal sound that wouldn't have been out of place on an early Danielle Dax album. Again the beat here drives the song into a powerful relentless industrial rhythm that outdoes Coil. "You Have No Form" is late night dance piece with pulsating synths and sampled vocals. "On Hearing a Name Long Unspoken" carries on "One Night's" vibe and scatters around in a style that cross-pollinates trance with jazz and sounds sung from a mountain top.