Orphic Music
Electronic, 2015
Voyage features the vocals of soprano Michelle Haché set to the electronic beats of Derek Smootz. Just like how they would say in comic books, together, they are Zephyrium. But how do they sound like? Well, the tracks here would be familiar territory if you have listened to Sarah Brightman before: they are classical tunes given some ambient/electronica spin. The end result is pretty good on the ears.
Addio Del Passato from Giuseppe Verdi’s La traviata is given a more upbeat update, and there is nice contrast of the haunting and even seductive classical-style vocals to the more modern background track. Zephyrium’s reinterpretation of The Flower Duet from Léo Delibes’s Lakmé is too adorable for words, while Dido’s Lament is just eerie in a good way, sounding like a visitation from a banshee or something. John Dowland’s Flow My Tears sticks a little more to its classical roots, in the sense that it won’t give purists a heart attack, but it is still a haunting track that would act very well as a wind down track after all the more upbeat moments on this CD.
Nothing here really breaks new grounds, I feel, but the tracks on Voyage are pleasant ear worm that function perfectly well as background music as well as tracks to give a more active listen to. All in all, it’s a solid album worth a spin or two if you’re into classical-electronica fusion music.
