“What is more intimate than a duet? At its best, this most revealing of musical formats can be a true meeting of minds, and when the duo partners are friends as well as colleagues, an extra layer of warmth is usually apparent. That’s especially audible on ElectriTradition, in which Damascus-born, Vancouver-based multi-instrumentalist Emad Armoush teams up with friends old and new to explore 10 soulful and inventive sonic landscapes.

All five of Armoush’s guests—clarinetist Francois Houle, violinist Jesse Zubot, drummer Kenton Loewen, trumpet player JP Carter, and cellist Marina Hasselberg—enter fully into his world, just as he enhances theirs. Every pairing emerges fully formed, no matter how disparate the contributors, making for a deliciously varied but ultimately coherent whole.

The opening and closing numbers deserve special mention, however. Both feature Houle, and while the classically trained clarinetist’s gorgeous tone and instrumental mastery are readily apparent, so too is the deep respect that he and Armoush have for each other. Whether creating uncanny electronically enhanced backdrops for Armoush’s oud on “Ya Rayah” or employing real-time double-tracking and key percussion on the moody, flamenco-inspired guitar showcase “Eye to Eye”, Houle displays his ability to listen deeply, while Armoush proves that he can’t be confined to stereotypical concepts of Arabic music.

String virtuoso and studio wizard Zubot is especially inspired on another of Armoush’s guitar compositions, “Warrior’s Dance”, weaving layers of otherworldly harmonics, oud-like plucking, and unnerving grinding noises over Armoush’s martial chords. And while we can’t ignore Carter and Loewen’s contributions, cellist Marina Hasselberg’s melancholy bowing and soulful bass lines help Armoush stop time on “Hala La La”, which veers from a melancholy folk melody to a wonderfully conversational exploration of abstract sound—and then back again.

For all that it is both technically impeccable and formally inventive, ElectriTradition is shaped primarily by Armoush’s emotional generosity, and by how his friends match that with their own. This music offers a beautiful antidote to the conflicts and anguish of today’s world—and more than a hint of how humans from wildly different backgrounds can find common cause.” – Alexander Varty