Pulse

Kiva’s second CD, Pulse, can  be described as  otherworldly worldbeat, with elements of  jazz, roots  and  pop. Influences  from  many  cultures  form the  basis  of  this eclectic collection, including Latin, African, East Indian, Cajun, Klezmer and Caribbean. Lots of hand percussion is paired with layers of vocal textures.  Most of the tracks have 'vocables', which are like an imaginary language. They may be imitating other instruments in rhythmic ways, or  provide  sweeping melodies and  unusual harmonies.  Some uplifting English lyrics  pop  up  as well.  Heal  and  howl! 

Song Titles      (click for MP3 samples)
1. Sanctuary
2. Donde Soweika
3. Serendipity Doodah
4. Everything Goes
5. Morning  Dew  Ragu
6. The Incident
7. Firecracker Suite
8. That Zing
9. Kaida Kei
10. In The Flesh

The musicians on Pulse include: 
Kiva- vocals and keyboards, John Hudson- percussion, Jay Stoller- percussion, Rodrigo Munoz- percussion, Nii Tettey Tetteh- percussion, Jordan Hanson and Batuque Ensemble- percussion, Mahabub Khan- percussion and vocals, Jane Miller- vocals, Don Benedictson- bass, Heidi Hunter- acoustic harp, Richard Moody- viola, Bill Spornitz- soprano saxophone, Eli Herscovitch- clarinet

The Guided Tour

1. Sanctuary

This song was co-written by me and Rhys Fulber (formerly of Delirium, now Conjure One). Originally, Rhys supplied me with an instrumental track, and I wrote the lyrics and melody. We recorded it together at Nettwerk Records in Vancouver. Subsequently, I re-recorded the entire song on my own, with djembe, acoustic harp, keyboard bass and pad. It starts off with bamboo wind chimes. The result is a hypnotic yet hummable piece reminiscent lyrically and stylistically to earlier Delirium material. It has a spiritually uplifting tone, complete with harmonic overtoning.
 
2. Donde Soweika

I wrote this piece as the first follow-up to the work I did with Jordan Hanson and Nii Tettey Tetteh. The title has no official meaning, yet I attempted to infuse it with my own definition by inserting a few English lyrics. Basically, if you want world peace, you have to act like it is here already, and it is better not to fight with what you don’t like. It is reinforced by light-hearted Latin percussion and accompanying rhythmic vocal textures.
 
3. Serendipity Doodah

The title itself is a play on words, which I love creating. The title is heard throughout as a rhythmic backbone for the harmonic layers of vocables. It starts as a quirky jazzy African ditty and soon turns into dueling Cajun accordion/fiery jazz piano while the African drums boldly continue.
 
4. Everything Goes

The inspiration for this one came from Neale Donald Walsh’s writings. The dream-like quality that draws in the listener is created by djembe, acoustic harp and viola. I direct my voice through the full spectrum of the vowels contained. The outro includes a guttural variation of overtone singing. The theme here: What if absolutely every possibility of everything manifests somehow, somewhere? The ramifications of that are mind boggling.
 
5. Morning Dew Ragu

This outrageous Indian inspired piece began as a sort of keyboard exercise I invented to strengthen my fingers. Then I transferred the exercise to vocals. Next I added tablas and vocal solos. Mahabub Khan provides the tablas and the wailing vocals at the end, which are superimposed with the tabla-imitating vocal solo of Jane Miller. The three of us are all going acapella in the outro, with a mesmerizing effect.
 
6. The Incident

This was the first piece recorded, providing the inspiration for the direction of the whole project. Nii Tettey Tetteh from Ghana played this wild frenzy on bell, and Jordan Hanson played berimbau (musical bow). Then I came along and sang long tones and stretched out melodies, building to a climax of frantic pseudo-yodeling.
 
7. Firecracker Suite

This was written over an udu track by John Hudson. It has a slightly jazzy feel with vocables, a piano solo by me, and a soprano sax solo by Bill Spornitz.
 
8. That Zing

The title refers to the effect one felt by drinking the original colas, which were laced with cocaine. “The Pause that Refreshes!” There is the delightful combination of African and Latin percussion and funky bass providing the background for the vocal textures and Klezmer style clarinet solo. Out of nowhere leaps an almost classical acapella section with what sounds like backwards vocals (but they aren’t), to return to the infectious theme at the end.
 
9: Kaida Kei

This one began with a live performance of Nii Tettey Tetteh, Jordan Hanson and the Batuque ensemble, around eleven people on percussion, with Nii Tettey adding an African flute solo.  I then added the keyboard steel drums and vocables. It induces trance dancing.
 
10:  In the Flesh

This is the earliest piece of the lot. It was originally written for a concert I gave at the KIEKU throat singing festival in Helsinki, Finland in 2001. It moves through several variations of overtoning over two related themes, with complex Latin percussion, keyboard dulcimer and piano. It ends with an elongated dreamy section over a pad, with the highest overtones of the whole CD. The final thing one hears is bamboo wind chimes, exactly as the CD began, acting as bookends. 

 

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