Scharlatone
Scharlatöne : Hals über Kopf (AT,2011)***°
This trio called the Charlatones makes their music almost entirely upon vocals sounds with a few instruments that have an important contribution with or that are close to the voice in the way this trio uses it. One of my first concerts ever was an acapella only band, which I saw upon invitation ; I found this also one of the least successful ideas of a band I could imagine, even though most other people, the girls of my class, loved it. The voice is capable of so many things, and there exist even traditions of vocal techniques that could make a vocal group concept work. The members of Sharlatöne learned several of such techniques, like overtone singing in a few different variations, something which fits well with some use of jew’s harp too, and beatbox with a couple of variations in it too, and even yodelling, which for having been born in Austria was the right place to adapt it. On “Jolehi” there are contributions on didgeridoo as well, not just used as a droning resonance instrument, but used with similar accents of the voice in it and like some arranged effects produced by the same human directing the resonances contributing focus. All the time the trio makes fun, and it is also fun to hear, these rhythmical trio improvisations with comparable and fitting techniques of each overtones and lower tones voice, now and then with a few occasional arrangements by flutes or alphorn. There has been a little bit left to use in a more common sense of acapella harmony singing, but just once this was accepted as another detail in one of the tracks. The band succeeds to keep your attention clear, even though some of the almost danceable melodic tunings are kept relatively simple, it is fun from start to finish.
