Reviews:

Adapter: Angel Unzu.
Personnel: Angel Unzu (vocals, guitar, slide guitar, banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, fretless bass, programming); Mikel Laboa (vocals); Xabier Zeberio (violin); Pello Ramirez (cello); Julio Andrade (double bass).
Audio Mixer: Mikel F. Krutzaga.
Recording information: Artaunsoro, Basque Country (09/2003-11/2005); Bodrham Estudioa, Basque Country (09/2003-11/2005); Elkar Estudioa, Basque Country (09/2003-11/2005); Gnauen Herrixka, Merzouga (09/2003-11/2005); Guarayra Music, Basque Country (09/2003-11/2005); Gurjarvani Studio, Ahmedabad, India (09/2003-11/2005); Ice Hotel, Jukkasjarvi (09/2003-11/2005); Iov Association Office, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (09/2003-11/2005); Rec Estudioa, Basque Country (09/2003-11/2005); Wilaya Of Dajla Hospital, Tindouf, Sahara (09/2003-11/2005).
Unknown Contributor Role: Angel Unzu.
Arranger: Angel Unzu.
The Basque duo Oreka Tx went on an international journey (Mongolia, India, Finland, and various parts of Africa) as both a musical and cultural exploration, toting their native txalaparta (an ancient xylophone-like percussion instrument), and jammed with a variety of musicians. They filmed their trip and released the documentary NOMADAK TX. This companion CD, while not a direct soundtrack, was inspired by the strange pairings that resulted. The songs here range from delicate ("Lakuko Lotura") to funky ("Bagu-Ahmedabad") to melodramatic ("Amazigh") to a jaunty spoken word piece ("Martxa Baten Lehen Notak"), but there is a consistency provided not just by the txalaparta but by the smooth, forgiving production and sense of playfulness on each track.

Basque duo lugs its txalaparta—an all-but-extinct native percussion device that Oreka Tx have done their bit to revive—through India, Mongolia, Lapland and the Sahara, with documentary filmmakers in tow, returns home with plenty of worthwhile aural souvenirs to demonstrate the uncanny affinities of far-flung musical styles.