Bidaia

'An innovative, all-acoustic ensemble from the French Basque Country offers a unique and creative vision for both their local roots and the greater world beyond. It's a highly modal experience, driven primarily by traditional Basque instruments - alboka, ttun-ttun (an instrument similar to a zither, but played with a stick as a percussive effect), combined with acoustic guitar, hurdy-gurdy, bamboo clarinet & the bendir. The almost surreal vocals of Caroline Phillips are a central, if not solely defining, part of the sound, as her soaring voice is merged into a wall-of-sound created by the instruments in a sharp and stunning series of arrangements...' '.... My only reservation about Oihan is that I might not be able to get it off my player before the next Bidaia record is released. - Jim Foley' - CD Roots review.