Projekt: darkwave - Rajna: Black Tears (An Anthology) ~ 3 for $20

Rajna presents Black Tears, an intense retrospective celebrating the first six years of their career. The disc features 9 songs covering all their albums, 5 new songs (4 recorded in 2005 especially for this release), the massive “Buried Philae” remix by the electro-industrial masters Division Alpha, plus 2 exclusive rarities: spiritual “Sién” and surprising “Shushai.” Together, they create an 80 minute musical voyage. In partnership with the association “The House of the Himalayas” and Holy Records, Rajna will transfer the totality of their royalties to the building of a school for the children of Tibet. Black Tears is dedicated to the fans of Rajna and to all those who wish to discover the special musical universe of this French-Tibetan duet; throughout this opus, rediscover the scents of the East and Asia; the taste of spices which wake your senses, musical colors which hypnotize, echoing landscapes which transport you towards unknown regions; celestial, sensual, tragic, powerful and captivating voices which charm the hearts in search of sincerity. Rajna music is the incarnation of the true meaning of the word “trip:” a journey, a gathering, sharing, serenity, spirituality. Rajna is a bridge of perfect harmony creating a wonderful alliance between the earth (humanity) and the sky (paradise). From black tears emerges the light of our souls.

A review from Bliss/Aquamarine:

Retrospective compilation covering the first 6 years of the band's existence, taking songs from all their albums, a couple of rarities, and 5 new tracks exclusive to this release. The royalties are to be donated to an organisation involved with building a school for Tibetan children. The music is a heady, darkly atmospheric combination of Eastern music, ambient, classical, choral, medieval, experimental, new age relaxation music, and occasionally heavy dance beats. There is also Division Alpha's remix of Buried Philae, combining operatic vocals with sinister 80s synth, dulcimer, spoken word and bombastic drumming.

Rajna are often compared to Dead Can Dance, and not without reason. DCD are clearly a major influence for Rajna; both bands have a dark take on world music/ancient music and use instruments such as dulcimer, and it's no coincidence that one of the tracks featured here is a cover of DCD's Cantara. However Rajna's approach strikes me as a little more abstract than DCD on many occasions, with a stronger emphasis on the ambient/overtly experimental side of things.

A recommended introduction to the creative, expressive and atmospheric music of Rajna.

A review from Gothic Beauty #23:

Black Tears anthologizes six years of Rajna's musical, spiritual and physical journeys. The influence of Dead Can Dance, especially their mesmeric Chinese dulcimers and devotional female vocals, first illuminated Rajna's path, but the band has developed and focused on its own distinct sound. Jeanne Lefebvre channels a spectrum of vocal muses, shifting moods between seductive sensuality and serene meditation. Rajna enhances an array of Asian percussion with subtle electronics, particularly in some of the newly released songs included here. Spiritual intent permeates Rajna's work like rising incense, and the strong ties their music has with the East are reinforced by their personal connection to Nepal. Proceeds from this release will be donated to an organization aiding Himalayan Schools. -Carolee

A review from High Bias:

This French duo sure likes Dead Can Dance a lot. Jeanne and Fabrice Lefebvre (vocals and instruments, respectively) work much the same territory, with operatic female vocals soaring over ethnic/worldbeat melodies and electronic textures. To be fair, though, Rajna pulls its focus tighter than the often bewilderingly eclectic DCD, concentrating on melding Asian and Middle Eastern tones with Gothic atmosphere. This compilation pulls highlights from Rajna’s prior albums, adding four brand new songs and some rarities and remixes. It’s not going to erase memories of DCD, but there’s some lovely, mesmerizing stuff here. Besides, every scrap of royalties the band earns goes to building a school for Nepal’s children. If you’re a fan of this kind of music and want to support a good cause, Black Tears is a worthwhile investment. -Michael Toland

A review from Liar Society:

It would certainly be a shame if Rajna were written off as the "Middle Eastern" Dead Can Dance. Though Rajna's music does share an aesthetic affinity with The Serpent's Egg-era DCD, the group possesses a distinct, and definitely intriguing, character all its own. Rajna creates ethereal soundscapes rich with tribal percussion, sweeps of synths, unusual instrumentation, and haunting vocals; their sound is both authentic and heartfelt, yet their Eastern influences never cross the line into crass Orientalism. The songs ebb and flow, timeless and pure. A further word about the vocals. Jeanne Lefebvre's voice is heavenly and tragic, yet it never takes center stage. It is used as an instrument, helping to build the songs instead of being a showcased jewel. This, in itself, is a noteworthy and refreshing approach. Rajna is no cult of personality--mood trumps showmanship, art carries the day.

Black Tears is essentially a retrospective of a wondrous career: the songs collected here cover the group's five album releases, five new songs recorded for this album, two rarities, and a special remix. The album is literally full of great music to get lost within. I can imagine no better way to get a taste of this often unrecognized project. Also, it behooves me to mention that the proceeds from this release go to a good cause: Rajna will donate their royalties to the building of a school for children in Tibet. 4 stars out of 5. - Jack Shear

A review from Music TAP:

Rajna is best characterized by their mystic, Dead Can Dance-like approach to music with historical and multi-cultural flavours. Their music is more exotic and less stylized than DCD. Over time, Rajna has released 5 albums of music from which this anthology draws from. With 9 songs of representation and 5 exclusively included tunes recorded specifically for this compilation including an industrial remix version of “Buried Philae,” Black Tears is a collection of the first 6 years of Rajna.

Rajna is the husband/wife duo of Jeanne and Fabrice Lefebvre, with Jeanne handling the vocals and Fabrice doing all of the music and arrangements. The songs are gorgeously sweeping in every respect with plenty of percussive art and Gerrard-like vocals, which, is not attainable by just anybody; the vocal art alone sets Jeanne Lefebvre apart from just about any female counterpart in the world doing this rare type of music (who else can do this but DCD and Rajna.) With the beauty of ancient music from cultures long lost, Dark Tears provides to you, the listener, with music that commands more than one spin. It is a sampler of exoticism that hypnotically draws you in as it transports you through various timeframes and places long untouched.

In addition to the representative tracks, the new unreleased music recorded for this anthology include an edit and album track of the title name, “Black Tears,” several rare tracks uncovered and included (“Sien,” “Shushai”,) and the remix of “Buried Philae” that shows how far a song from Rajna can travel.

This anthology is a great set that will not only assuage your much needed DCD fix, but also unveil to you the only worthy successor to the crown that DCD fashioned. As a matter of fact, Rajna does DCD in “Cantara” from the latter’s Within The Realm of a Dying Sun (1987) as perfect as it gets. If you loved Dead Can Dance, you’ll be insane over the discovery of Rajna and Black Tears is the perfect introduction. 4 out of 5 stars. -Matt Rowe

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Black Tears (An Anthology) ~ 3 for $20

2006 | Projekt | PRO00180

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