Beautiful and quirky, Riska is Haco's 9th solo record, using guest musicians on many tracks, all following her eccentric and mesmerizing vision. Haco finds music in the oddest of places, using an unusual palette of sound to construct environments over which she sings. The music is lovely and reserved, an accent to a quiet summer day, rich with nuance and subtlety. Those familiar with the trio album Lunch in Nishinomiya with Diane Labrosse and Martin Tétreault on IMJ will appreciate the relaxed pacing and use of unusually placed sound, spartan at time, but never relinquishing control over the listener. The vocals are primarily in Japanese, adding to the enigmatic power of her breathy but strong voice, while songs in English often intimate much more than the simple words imply, reinforced by interspersed sound and minimal musical counterpoint. Only a performer with 25 years of performance and recording history could create such compelling work with such understated confidence. A wonderful addition to a great body of work, highly recommended.

Haco: Riska Is On Sale at Squidco!