Powehi
Neuma, 2025
9/10
The Washington D.C. artist Anna Rubin creates music stories for voice, piano and electronics here, and it involves both environmental and political themes soundtracked by electroacoustic techniques.
“Everything Goes Bee” leads with Susan Botti’s stunning soprano and Airi Yoshioka’s gripping violin alongside bouts of electronic gestures, and “For The Love Of Bees” follows with Pamela Fields’ spoken word plus Sandrine Erdely-Sayo’s cinematic keys illuminating the 6 expressive chapters.
On the back half of Disc 1, “The Beekeepers” enlists Michal Schmidt’s meticulous cello prowess amid fixed media via the atypical environment, while “Powehi: The Darkest Heart Of The Galaxy” balances Fields’ voice with keys from Erdely-Sayo and Cynthia Raim for the vivid storytelling.
The 2nd disc is packed with ambience and glitchy ideas. “Automaton Monk” seems suited for a sci-fi movie and is a bit ominous, and “If I Could Sing Like A Bird” exits with field recordings alongside electronic manipulation that’s calming.
An extremely creative effort that explores the ties between humans and bees, as well as migration, identity and historical connections, Rubin’s formula embraces harmonics, poeticism and insightfulness that you’ll be in awe of.