In 1994, he released the album Chansons des mers froides (called Songs from the Cold Seas for the anglophone market). The album was based on ocean-themed traditional folk songs from northern countries, such as Canada, Finland, Iceland, and Japan. It featured vocals by pop and rock artists such as Björk, Suzane Vega, Jhon Cale, Värttina, Jane Siberry, and Siouxsie Sioux in addition to recordings of shamanic incantations and lullabies from Ainu, Nanai, Inuit, and Yakut singers. Musicians included Mark Isham, Brendan Perry, and The Balanescu Quartet. A cameraman accompanied Zazou on the project and they shot and recorded in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Japan, Scandinavia, and Siberia. The single "The Long Voyage" was the only song to be an original composition from Zazou. He wrote it in gratitude to his record company Sony who gave him complete artistic liberty. Performed by Suzanne Vega and John Cale, it was released as a single in 1995. The single featured remixes byMad Proffesor as well as Zazou himself.
1. Annukka suaren neito - Värttinä
2. Vísur Vatnsenda-Rósu - Björk
3. The long voyage - Suzanne Vega & John Cale
4. Havet stomar - Lena Willemark
5. Adventures in the Scandinavian skin trade - Wimme Saari
6. She's like a swallow - Jane Siberry
7. The lighthouse - Siouxsie
8. Oran na maighdean mhara - Catherine-Ann MacPhee
9. Yaisa maneena - Tokiko Kato
10. Iacoute song - Lioudmila Khandi
As the title let's suspect a collection of letters of all kinds: Different forms of love letters, a sentimental farewell letter, a suicide note, a advertising spam mail, a hilarious bitchy reply by an old eccentric aunt to a begging letter from one of her family members and so on. What I always loved about this album is that all these stories let little short films play in the head, Costello is more acting than just singing and also the wonderful instrumentation always suits the subject. Stylistically it might remind of music played in some victorian salon, but turning slightly avantgardistic here and there.
robert wyatt / radio experiment rome / february 1981
otros discos
robert wyatt / comicopera / 2007 / parte 1
robert wyatt / comicopera / 2007 / parte 2
