For her major label debut, Ethiopian chanteuse Gigi has found the ideal sonic foil in producer Bill Laswell. He provides a solid foundation for her compositions and airy voice, grounding them with

Gigi

For her major label debut, Ethiopian chanteuse Gigi has found the ideal sonic foil in producer Bill Laswell. He provides a solid foundation for her compositions and airy voice, grounding them with gospel organ, an elastic rhythm section, and contributions from some top jazz names, including Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, and Pharaoh Sanders, to lend an air of adventure. Gig's Amharic lyrics might not be readily understood by American ears, but her seductive tones are warm enough to translate into any language. Despite its studio gloss and sometime ambient excursions, as on "Adwa," the record was made by real, live musicians, without loops or samples, giving it a richness and depth. The music works superficially as pleasurable background, but listen more closely and there's a definite sophistication to the tracks that gives the album longevity, and marks Gigi as an emerging major talent. --Chris Nickson

Gigi