Tales of Subliming, the long-awaited follow up to 2007?s runaway success 3 Nights, signals somewhat of a departure from Zulya?s previous albums. In crafting the lyrical themes of the songs for her new album Zulya revisits the fairytales of her childhood, creating her most adventurous work to date. She explains, ?Subliming has two meanings; turning from a solid into a gas instantaneously ? like dry ice, or becoming finer, purer. There?s often a transformation in fairy stories. They are about our journeys to achieve individuality in a symbolic form. Some say each of us identifies with our own fairy story or with a character from one. Tales of Subliming is a collection of vignettes from these characters? lives, little scenes from their journeys.?
Musically, Zulya?s internationally acclaimed vocals float effortlessly above an daring musical backdrop that features brass arrangements (courtesy of newest band member Eamon McNelis for the most part); Tom Waits inspired tuned and mallet percussion; plus newer sounds courtesy of percussion loops, manipulated piano tones and hurdy-gurdy. The end result sees Zulya breaking new sonic ground on an album that is nothing short of an artistic triumph.
As with 3 Nights, the new album is a collection of songs written in all 3 of her spoken languages (Russian, Tatar, and English) ? her ease with English now apparent with 7 of the 12 tracks in her adopted tongue.
