Music recommendation: Portals of Grace

[feuervogel]

In 2005, I saw the movie Head-On (Gegen die Wand), and I really liked it. It was beautiful and depressing, a story about two messed-up people who became involved in each other's lives. It's by the German-Turkish director Fatih Akin, and it's about two German Turks and how they live and fit in (or not). This is a theme I like, in general, in stories, so I'm predisposed to enjoying it, even if I felt suckerpunched at the ending.

The soundtrack was awesome, so when I was looking for the DVD on Amazon, I clicked the link to the soundtrack as well. Then I was recommended CDs by Vas, Niyat, and Azam Ali. I bought one by Vas, and I played Feast of Silence over and over.

I eventually bought Ali's Portals of Grace, because I liked the idea of medieval European music played on traditional Arabic instruments. Also, a portion of the proceeds, according to the CD liner, go to RAWA, which is something I can endorse.

Ali herself was born in Tehran and raised in India, and she had the idea to combine the two musical traditions and record it. The CD is amazing. I'm not educated in music theory or criticism, so I lack the words to explain it.

You can listen to samples on Amazon, or if you're local, I'll play it for you sometime.

I've got it on repeat today, while I write. It's helping.

Comments

[doctorskuld.livejournal.com]

Have you ever seen Lola und Bilidikid? (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0137079/) It's about gay Turks trying to fit in and survive in Berlin, very interesting. I think you'd enjoy the German/Turkish as well as the gender/sexuality dynamic the movie has going on. :D

Check it out if you ever have the time!

[feuervogel]

I've never even heard of it before! I ought to try to track it down.

It's weird to watch GdW because it's in German (which I don't need to read the subtitles for) and Turkish (which I do), but the languages sound similar enough that it takes a second for me to figure out that they aren't saying words I understand and I ought to read the subtitles. The languages aren't related, and Turkish isn't even Indo-European, so it doesn't make a bit of sense.

[feuervogel]

Aww, man. It's only available as an import in R2/PAL unless I want region free with Turkish subtitles. O_o

[doctorskuld.livejournal.com]

Here's the US Region 1 version:
http://www.amazon.com/Lola-Billy-Kid-Gandi-Mukli/dp/B000056B0E/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1244965164&sr=1-2

Wow, this thing is really rare. That's sad, because I liked the movie a lot.

[nitasee.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it helps, but I have albums by all three: Vas, Niyat, and Azam Ali. "Portals of Grace" is particularly lovely.