Zulya and the Children of the Underground album

ON LOVE AND SCIENCE

(https://zulyaandthechildrenoftheunderground.bandcamp.com/)

9/10

zulya resHere’s a way to break the download addiction: create the most exquisitely packaged album I’ve seen. On Love and Science is a narrative song cycle, with the CD presented in a book containing a dark fairy tale of sorts and lyrics by Zulya Kamalova, and exquisite paintings by Dilka Bear. Just to touch, look, wonder at it is magical, and then there’s the music, composed by Kamalova and members of the band.

She sings the songs in six languages, and although the music carries echoes of her Russian and Tartar heritage, ultimately it is remarkably devoid of a sense of time or place. Flashes of Weimar cabaret collide with hints of Rota, Zappa, Gypsy music and jazz. But any stylistic overtness is swamped by this marvellous impression of dislocation that is so in keeping with the story. Anthony Schultz (accordion, piano), Aviva Endean (reeds), Lucas Michailidis (guitars), Andrew Tanner (bass), Justin Marshall (drums, percussion) and guest trumpeter Eamon McNelis engrave a wealth of musical colours to match the beauty of Bear’s art.