I Muvrini Live

Pop fans may find themselves inclined to check out the Corsican singer/songwriter duo of Alain and Jean-Francois Bernardini on the basis of their elegant, bilingual duet with Sting on "Fields of Gold," but that's just the teaser to lend familiarity to a unique, polyrhythmic project. I Muvrini (as the duo is collectively called) composer and perform in its native Corsican language a culturally diverse type of music while nurturing its roots, which has contributed to the revival of Corsican music. The melting pot nature of the larger ensemble, which includes members from Britain and Madagascar, allows them to freely bring together elements of Cajun, Celtic, jazz, and world music. Some examples: "A Voce Rivolta" is a multi-voiced tribal anthem featuring rocking guitars and the soaring harmonies of bagpipes, blending African and Irish influences. "Vogliu" opens the disc with a gritty vocal blending with romping flamenco rhythms and plucky guitar lines. With so many rhythms to draw from, much of the disc is up-tempo in nature, but slower paced reflections like "Noi" are more romantic; even that tune eases into a modern hip-hop shuffle and female choir (which sings in English). "Dumanda" and "Rispondimi Ie" have folk-rock vibes with Celtic accordian flavors. I Murvrini have fashioned polyphony into the source of a universal and fittingly contemporary message to weave links between all these cultures. Strangely, the packaging features English translations of all the lyrics, but you won't be able to sing along because all the songs are sung in the native language.