Yuna is the latest release from the duo known as Yagull, who are pianist Kana Kamitsubo and guitarist Sasha Markovic. Somewhat of a departure from what we normally see on the MoonJune Records label, Yuna wouldn't be out of place over at ECM Records, the tranquil sounds of the piano and guitar desolate, yet lovely, the understated arrangements found throughout the album brilliant in their execution. Black Sabbath fans will shed tears of joy at the duo's take on the classic "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"...no power chord riffing here, just majestic piano mimicking Ozzy's vocals and gentle acoustic guitar strumming. It's genius stuff, and one of the best covers I've heard in ages. Elsewhere, the gorgeous "Dawn" will sweep you away with its tender, jazzy melodies, and "Muse" is just heartbreaking, the melodies so tender, with breathtaking piano and acoustic guitar lines. "101" is probably the most upbeat tune here, with Sasha getting in some manic picking, but for the most part, this is tranquil mood music at its best, dreamy creations such as "Mori (Forest Song)" and the title cut taking the listener on a calming, peaceful journey, avoiding any sort of bombast or noisy journey, and sometimes, that's quite what the doctor ordered. Well done.
Track Listing
1.
Searching for the Moon 02:32
2.
Dawn 04:12
3.
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath 04:02
4.
Muse 03:56
5.
101 05:36
6.
Fall Winter 02:52
7.
Riverwas 03:39
8.
Mori (Forest Song) 04:05
9.
Yuna 04:17
10.
Kiri 05:05
11.
Searching for the Moon (Reprise) 00:45