Info and General Review-
Varekai, as a show, is the tale of Icare, who has fallen from the sky and lost his wings. With the help of benevolent and humorous La Vigie and the more neutral La Guide, Icare comes to accept his flightless life, and that the bamboo glade he fell into will be his home. His tale is also one of forbidden love- La Guide brings a mermaid (La Promise) to the glade for Icare, but their time together is wrought with chaos and confusion; That is, until she undergoes the transformation to become like Icare, and they are wed in a manner suitable of such a show.
Varekai, as a band, is built around the ideals of this show. Their music is a passionate, incredible adventure through life, from the chaotic Célébration de l'Errance to the passionate grandiosity of the wedding of Icare and La Promise. The nine musicians play as well live as they do on the produced cd, which is all well and good, because they are top of the line artists. Cirque scouts find talent from around the world and bring them together for incredible synergy.
Varekai, as a CD, is simular to the live sound of the band, but it's much smoother and much less chaotic. Some of the tracks are in English, and several are narrarated with lines from the show. A few of the tracks are electronic, but most are performed by the same band as the live show. For such an eclectic cd, Varekai comes together amazingly well. There are no defining lines in the Cirque du Soleil repetoire.
Musicians-
Bandleader, Keyboards
Michel Cyr
Bass
Richard Drouin
Drums
Paul Bannerman
Keyboards
Denise Rachel
Percussion
Rafik Samman
Violin
Vuk Krakovic
Wind Instruments
Wayne Hankin
Singers
Isabelle Corradi
Craig Jennings
Track by Track Review-
Musique-
1. Aureus (1:16)
The intro to Varekai opens with "Falling, falling, you can see the fall, you are feeling high..." and sets the mood for the entire cd. A piano plays softly in the background, and a woman wispers in french quietly. The piano drifts downward, and Aureus unwinds seamlessly into Rain One.
2. Rain One (3:37)
Rain One is a slow paced song, mostly in English, with light percussion (which sounds almost just like slow wing flaps) keeping the beat. Opera and soft piano are present in this song, and it really needs to be heard to be understood.
3. Le Rêveur (7:06)
La Rêveur takes on a World appeal, as a maraca counts the beat, with a marimba giving it life. The vocals are very Indian, and the whole thing feels like a sandy desert. The track is a little long for the fact that there isn't much variance in it, but it contrasts the more upbeat Vocea well.
4. Vocea (5:00)
Vocea is the fastest song on the cd up to this point, which puts it somewhere at normal speed. The vocals are wonderful (but are in French), and this is the first song that Vuk Krakovic (Violin) is featured, which comes in as a forlorn hope through a chorus singing the motiff of the song. This is definitely one of the better tracks on the cd.
5. Moon Licht (6:21)
Building on the curve set by Vocea, Moon Licht is an upbeat exploration with a constant maraca on the gallop. Vocals on this song are, once again, by Isabelle Corradi but are much more classic than on the rest of the cd. Like Le Rêveur, Moon Licht is a little long without much catch for mainstream listeners (though it is a wonderful song), and pushes the ambient feel of the album.
6. Rebeus (1:28)
The cd slows down again, falling back to the sound of Aureus, before continuing as Patzivota.
7. Patzivota (7:50)
Seeing as how it is the longest track on the cd, it is expected that this song should be epic in nature, should cover musical ground, and should be one of the best songs present. Unfortunately, it hits on only one of these. Patzivota song feels like a rehashing of Vocea, in a more grandeur fashion. This song is likely to be the one you skip most often if you're listening to the cd (as opposed to having it as ambience. These songs are perfect for that).
8. El Péndulo (4:52)
Starting out much like Aureus and Rubeus, El Péndulo is a trickster. After about 20 seconds of narraration, Isabelle's voice breaks through, and one of the best songs on the cd follows. Set to an electronic beat, El Péndulo feels better and better as it builds up to the break down and reentry of the song. Craig Jennings can be heard for the first time as a singer (I think...) for a short period before the song drifts off. This one does not dissapoint. This song is where the cd begins to pick up the pieces of Icare's fall and really shows it can shine.
9. Gitans (3:40)
Traditional polka? Can that really sound this good? Gitans is fun, quick, and upbeat. Though more understated than the rest of the cd, Gitans holds its own with brilliant a brilliant accordian and violin mix. There isn't much to say here- It's simply a great song.
10. Kèro Hiréyo (7:06)
Kèro Hiréyo is the second longest track on the cd, and this time, there is no filler or ambience. Vocals throughout most of the song (with a very Indian feel), more chorus work, and a very adventurous feel make this song another perk of the cd.
11. Infinitus (1:32)
More narraration. I'm neutral on this one.
12. Lubia Dobarstan (4:40)
Latin guitar plays throughout the song, accompanied by clapping and violin. There's not that much to say about it. High quality, and fun, this is a good one, but not great.
13. Emballa (5:08)
Behold, Emballa. Any fan of world music or upbeat jazz should have this song. This is, in my opinion, the best song on the CD. There is guitar throughout the song, but its nothing overly complicated. There is one solo, but the work is, sadly, a little sloppy. Bongoes keep the rhythm until a drum set kicks in with a latin beat that would make anyone want to dance.
14. Oscillum (4:35)
Oscillum consists, basically, of a drum line that builds throughout the song. A violin and male vocals add background to an otherwise repetitive song. This song borders on filler, but any fan of house or ambient should enjoy it (much like most of the other instrumental songs on the cd).
15. Funambul (2:43)
Narraration. Funambul serves as the formal ending of the story of Icare and La Promise, and has a strong sense of hope and feeling in it (to contrast the neutrality and sadness in the other narratives).
16. Resolution (2:24)
Resolution is an epilogue of sorts; a polishing of the story at hand- it's a playful polka piece that makes the happy ending of the story a truly finished one. Creatures of all sorts can be heard cheering at the end of the song in celebration of the wedding. Happiness has returned.
Bonus CD-
1. Célébration de l'Errance (1:30)
Creatures of the forest dance all around in gleeful bliss as the story begins- singing, cheering, having a merry time. This song is chaotic and wild; all sort of instruments can be heard- impressive violin work, singing, audience clapping, and tambourine. This song (like the entire bonus CD) is amazing to hear, and ever more so to experience.
2. Trasparenza (5:28)
Icare sores high overhead, caught in a web of dreams, recalling the life in the sky he once had, longing for that which is gone to him. This song is a little boring, but good nonetheless. Sitar, Violin, and Vocals play the melody in wonderful harmony. Nothing too special here, so let's keep moving.
3. Euphoria (7:02)
Starting out with vocals and drums, Euphoria offers some of the most rewarding breakdowns in world music. The song, played to an act of impressive foot juggling, slowly builds as the act becomes more and more incredible. Each time, the breakdown is bigger and more anticipated, as you hinge on the edge of your seat- screaming, clapping, amazement as a trumpet mark a great landing. A nice bass solo is played (A little quieter on the cd than in the show, sadly) under various whistles and vocals. This song goes on longer than would be expected, but it's fulfilling. Definitely a good pick.
4. Sun Drum Fun (5:30)
Your first thoughts will be "Little Mermaid" when you hear the intro to this. What begins as what could be Phil Collins in French becomes a fun, full song with a with singability (even though it's in French). This is the only song in the show to feature both singers in equal proportions, and it's a brilliant mix. This is almost universally going to be the favorite on the cd. A decent guitar track, whistles, everything. This one does it for people.
5. Mutationis (7:13)
Yet another piece of ambience (which is ok. This is a soundtrack, not a rock cd), and this one holds up to the others in quality. It has a very Italian sound to it, but otherwise, there isn't anything too outstanding here.
6. Movimento (4:42)
One of my favorites from the show, Movimento is an incedibly trance-inducing Georgian dance tune. The audience begins clapping in beat as bongos beat out the rhythm and accordian and vocals provide melody. Unfortunately, this is a have-to-see-to-believe thing, and if you haven't experienced it, it won't carry as much weight with you.
7. El Péndulo (4:33)
A Remix of El Péndulo from the Musique CD, this time as a jazz composition. The world influence (indian vocals, for instance) provide just enough to make this piece stand out from standard jazz. This is easily one of the best songs on either cd, especially for those just passing through.
8. Emballa (5:47)
A house remix of Emballa (one of my favorites off of Musique), this song delivers. If you are a fan of Latin music or house, this needs to be in your play list. Incredibly listenable and a wonderful way to top off an amazing bonus cd.
There you have it. Each of the parts. How do I rate this? It's honestly according to what you're looking for in a cd- if you want something you can actively listen to and sing along with, I suggest moving on (especially if you don't speak French). On the other hand, this cd can provide an amazing ambient or easy listening album. Put this on at work, and you'll find yourself dancing to parts, singing to parts, and relaxing to the entire thing.
If you didn't get the Premium Edition (With the Bonus CD and DVD), you're missing out. I give the Premium Edition a 4.5, and the regular a 4.0.
Samples can be found here-
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/Music/Soundtracks/varekai_pc.htm
