REVIEW FROM www.livingtradition.co.uk

VISHTÈN - Horizons 
Private Label PTVISH18 

Horizons is the sixth album from the Acadian trio hailing from Canada’s Prince Edward Island. Celebrating 15 years as a band, the album introduces some progressive arrangements to the more traditional Acadian feel of previous recordings.

Twin sisters Emmanuelle and Pastelle LeBlanc and Pascal Miousse combine tight sibling harmonies and layered foot percussion with an exciting range of instruments including fiddle, accordion, octave mandolin, piano, jaw harp, acoustic and electric guitar. The sound they create is dynamic, passionate, powerful and exciting.

Elle Tempête opens the album - a traditional song lyric overlaid with a very full percussive vibe that characterises many of the tracks. Original compositions in the form of reels are next on Jaime Vraiment Ton Accent; a nod to accents of course. Fleur Du Souvenir is a traditional Acadian song with rich Wurlitzer piano featured. The full signature rollicking sound rolls on in L’Hermite with tight harmonies and Cajun fiddle. The tempo slows with Les Sirènes À Roméo, a lovely flute tune with piano and spacey guitar running through the mermaid motif.
Low whistle and fiddle jigs penned by the trio have a modern Celtic feel on title track, Horizons. My favourite track, BiBi Box, has a lovely, lively song interspersed with a piano tune composed by Emmanuelle. A bouncy Cajun prison song and more recently composed reels are again framed in the distinctive percussive style. L’Autre Femme is another traditional song, yet set in a modern style with shimmering guitar and beautiful harmonies. Closing track Âmes Soeurs is a hauntingly lilted harmony tune dedicated to “sister soulmates”.

This is a wonderful album from an amazing trio whose expansive sound is distinctive, thrilling, beguiling and different. Do yourself a favour and buy it.

www.vishten.net

Gerry Jones