June Snow

Best-known in the U.S. for her work with Bill Laswell, Liu Sola seems equally inspired by the musical traditions of her Chinese homeland and the more arty, avant-garde flavors of New York City, where she's based. June Snow is a recording composed for a music and dance drama based on a Yuan Dynasty play, which tells the story of a young woman who was wrongly sentenced to death. As such, these songs are highly theatrical, based in Chinese traditions but with a little Yoko Ono-style experimentation thrown in for good measure. From the gentle strains of the prelude to the nightmarish crashing percussion, and the echoing vocals of "The Execution Square" and the throbbing rhythms of "Snow Like Wool," this album isn't for the faint of heart. But it is as compelling as it is unconventional.