Socalled with the Kaiser Quarttet - Di Frosh and Other Yiddish Songs

  by Lisa Torem

published: 3 / 11 / 2018

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Review

Joshua Dolgin AKA Socalled is a Canadian vocalist, hip hop artist and producer. On his new release, 'Di Frosh and Other Yiddish Songs', he blends his versatile, multi-ranged voice with the illustrious Hamburg-based Kaiser Quartett, with whom he collaborated on his musical, 'The Season'. Some songs will be familiar to Dolgin’s fans as this Montreal-based artist has sampled them on previous recordings but a few are “brand new.” On this new album, Socalled chose to shine attention on the whole song, not merely a passage. Yiddish is a language derived from German that was once on the road to extinction. As to its current status, Dolgin exclaims, “Yiddish has been revived. We’re back.” Dolgin should know. He has studied the language through YouTube videos and his parents’ recordings, ultimately “making new beats with a Yiddish flavour.” His albums from 2005, 2006 and 2012 also speak volumes about his fascination with Yiddish music and interpretation. Originally he studied various melodies and imitated them on his piano or accordion. His current album moves further along the continuum; the selections shine because of the generous use of strings. Socalled clarifies: “The arrangements of the quartet give the music the harmonic respect it deserves, an integral and often overlooked element in presenting this material. The song listing is funny, sad, beautiful, dark…” The opening ‘Nigh’ build slowly, fuelled by strings, as the lyrics rise above. Socalled allows his voice to wring with spontaneous emotion. Gently persuasive this first song recalls one’s most endearing bedtime lullaby. When one listens to ‘Di Roumanishe Kretchme’, one need not understand the language to glean the inherent vitality of this bouncy tome. The abrupt transition to a minor passage is refreshing, as is the playful interpretation. ‘Tsum Shtam’ illuminates a well-formed melody which is mimicked by the tender strings. Mood shifts from light to dark, as a roster of names spring forth. ‘Oy, Afram’ is sheer delight, from the pizzicato to the swirling interludes which exude great emotion. The swelling, swooning of the quartet beautifully encapsulates the clever rhyme schemes. ‘Kinder Yorn’ as the term for “children” suggests, is simple but touching. Socalled’s rendition is searing and honest. ‘Di Frosh’ contains two distinctive voices, thus its charm. On ‘Oif ‘n Boidem’, Socalled’s voice exudes a world-weary wisdom; yet it somehow seems hopeful at the same time. ‘A Yiddish Maydl’ features lilting phrases; this dance-like piece possesses a dreamy quality, but ‘Eibik’ stand alone with its very sophisticated melody lines. The unexpected lower register of 'Der Hoif' sets it apart from the others, but the festive ‘Drei Dreidl’ with its whirling dervish cantor truly magnifies the essence of the symbolic holiday top. On the final song, ‘Aim Yisroel Chai,’ the pace is truly exhilarating. Socalled’s voice weaves in and out like an oceanic wave on the translucent bed of strings. ‘Di Frosh and other Yiddish Songs’ is a remarkable and culturally relevant collection.

Track Listing:-

1 Nign
2 Di Roumanishe Kretchme
3 Tsum Shtam
4 Oy, Avram
5 Kinder Yorn
6 Di Frosh
7 Oif'n Boidem
8 A Yiddish Maydl
9 Eibik
10 Di Milner's Trern
11 Der Hoif
12 Drei Dreidl
13 Am Yisroel Chai

Label Links:-

http://www.membran.net/
https://www.facebook.com/membrangroup/