Serart
Undefined / Undefined
When musical worlds collide, a new sphere of rich sound is born. Such is the
case of SERART, a collaboration between Arto Tuncboyaciyan (tunk-boy-a-jian)
and Serj Tankian, who have found common ground in shared Armenian
backgrounds and a passion for sonic explorations.
Born in a small town near Constantinople, Turkey, multi-instrumentalist
avant-garde folk artist Arto Tuncboyaciyan had appeared on more than 200
records in Europe before arriving in the United States, where he went to
work with numerous jazz legends including Chet Baker, Al DiMeola, and Joe
Zawinul, as well as a semi-regular stint with Paul Winter and the Earth
Band. Arto also fronts his own group called the Armenian Navy Band.
Rock fans know Serj Tankian as the front man for the ground breaking Los
Angeles band System Of A Down. System Of A Down's 2001 Breakout Album,
Toxicity (on which Serj is also credited for his role as a co-producer), was
named SPIN Magazine's album of the year -- among many other critical
accolades -- and sold 5 million copies worldwide. Serj has also been
prominent as an activist for social justice, working for positive political
change through Axis of Justice, the organization he founded with Audioslave
guitarist Tom Morello.
Produced by Serj and Arto, SERART is the first release on Serj's own
Serjical Strike Records, a label seeking to offer a home for bold, new
original music. An eclectic array of textured tracks, SERART mixes Middle
Eastern melodies with Pan-African rhythms while shifting from classical
motifs to bursts of percussion. "What I enjoyed most about the experience
was the fact that everything was so present. It was immediate," Serj says.
"There was no thinking about it."
SERART finds these two, seemingly disparate, creative artists joining for a
new vision. The two met following Arto's performance at the 2000 Armenian
Music Awards. A friendship grew when Arto appeared on Toxicity (he performed
on an outro track) and later blossomed into a musical partnership and the
desire to expand their respective musical vocabularies, blending cultures
and defying genres.
Sessions for the album took a spontaneous approach in a free form atmosphere
akin to expressionistic painting on a sonic canvas. The cross-pollination of
rhythms and alternating tones and scales in the album present a diversity
that reflects our own globe. "For me, it was seeing that love has no
nationality because to be a human being is more important. It includes
everybody," Arto says. "Nationality and religion is just seasoning of the
human taste."
In the vibrant opening track, "Cinema," drum and bass beats get comfortable
with scat vocals and jazzy interludes. "Love is the Peace" mixes the sounds
of war (guns and bombs) with Arto's haunting voice. The melancholy ballad,
"Leave Melody Counting Fear" which mixes acoustic guitar with a Chinese
string instrument called a guchin, is a haunting centerpiece of tragic
beauty. You'll find a dance club swirl on "Save the Blonde" and Serj's
signature socially conscious spoken word over a tropical rain forest feeling
track on "Claustrophobia." Another highlight track on the album is "Narina"
which features the vocals of singer Jenna Ross.
Nothing is predictable as a sense of discovery pervades every element of the
album. "Music is the sound of my life. I don't pretend to lead anyone. I
leave it up to one's imagination," Arto says. "What I try to express is
love, respect and the truth."
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