CuzzyLogic - Ninja Manuvas Album Review
Well the name is different and the music is different too, a good different, Ninja Manuvas is an interesting eclectic acoustic folk ensemble of tunes. If this kind of music doesn’t tweak your interest nothing will, it’s a unique kind of folk “world music” with peculiar rhythms and melodies. On first listen it may not be to everyone’s taste, as the vocal is laid back and a bit mono-tone, but the use of beautiful harmonies and other delightful effects add colour to each track very effectively. Like the opening track Troubles which has some wonderful backing vocal moans and groans accompanied by some of the aforementioned unique rhythms, of which some are just a hand hitting the guitar, or a little play on a hi hat, or a peculiar clicking percussion created by lord knows what, then there is Chipper Tripper with some amazing military style drilling drum sections accompanied by great electric guitar breaks.
The album is full of tuneful folk music brimming with nice clean classical guitar picking, like in Drug Addict and Nautical Theme which is very flamenco and whimsical, as is Sweet Valley which is also complemented with hypnotic backing vocal harmonies. There are also upbeat funk rhythms as presented in War Paint and the wonderful Crazy Love.
Most tracks are slower and offer thoughtful lyrical content with stories, comments and feelings of life, all of which can be heard and understood as there is no yelling or screaming, there are however uplifting chorus sections that heighten the drama and help emphasis a point.
Ninja Manuvas is well worth a listen, you will know very quickly if it’s to your taste, but give it a chance, there is depth and complexity in the music and lyrics that you rarely get out there!
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