Life

Life unfurls a Zen Buddhist kōan, a riddle designed to test one’s resolve in the face of absurdity (think “What is the sound of one hand clapping?). Micus listeners will know many of the instruments through which he speaks: Bavarian zither, shō (Japanese mouth organ), Thai singing bowls, nay, Tibetan chimes and cymbals, and the sarangi-like dilruba. To these he adds the maung (Burmese gongs) and bagana, an Ethiopian lyre that buzzes somewhat like a shamisen. As a dialogue between master and student, the album vacillates between forces before ending with the solo voice, taking ultimate comfort in emptiness.