Helena Espvall and Masaki Batoh
Overloaded Ark
Further along the path of musical friendship that HELENA ESPVALL (ESPERS) and MASAKI BATOH (GHOST) have discovered for themselves, we find Overloaded Ark ready to sail. Espvall & Batoh have come prepared for anything, armed with acoustic and electric guitars, cello, renaissance harp, organ, sho, banjo, electronics, recorders, piano, hurdy gurdy, frame drums and several more obscure instruments such as auschpfeife, crumhorn, cornamuse, darbuka, and rig. There are vocals as well, sung mostly by Helena but also with Batoh’s empathetic support. They are backed by two of Batoh’s Ghost-mates, KAZUO OGINO and JUNZO TATEIWA, and joined by ancient music specialist HARUO KONDO. As on the first Espvall & Batoh album, Overloaded Ark features a trove of traditional and ancient music alongside self-composed explorations. Songs from many cultures and ages are in evidence, from Scandinavian folk to German madrigal to French and Italian medieval court dances and even a good old Latin hymn! Espvall & Batoh endeavor to combine sounds from different times in history with an eye towards the creation of a peaceful new global village in the world of today.
