KHMERIAN

A pleasant mix of the old and new for Senmuth.

While fairly valid as an album in it's own right, Senmuth takes remixes of old material and throws it in with some fresh ethnic music. Although I generally haven't been the most lenient towards the ambient world music of this one man band, things are executed here with a more authentic feel than usual. Although the music here would not seem out of place in the many other of the albums of similar sound, some consistent vocal work from guest musicians really adds a melodic flair here that makes the music come alive.

The rehashes of previous material here aren't a far cry from the original, but each song is recognizable for being more memorable than your typical listen of this project. There aren't any major musical differences for the remixes, except some volume differences and general polishing. The first track for example, is a primarily electronic track with a heavier bass influence this time around. The three fresh songs here are not incredibly memorable, but they make 'Khmerian' a worthy listen, independent of other Senmuth work. Each of them are above average both in their composition and execution; giving very authentic aural interpretations of the cultures Senmuth is exploring with his music.

Although it might be unfair to give 'Khmerian' a higher rating than some other of the more legitimate releases of Senmuth leader Valery Av, I must say that the album gives a better experience in general than some of the weaker material in his career. Still, as a work that primarily feeds off the merit of others, it can't be regarded as one of the great Senmuth albums.