The idea is excellent -- giving a human face to those countries labeled by
George W. Bush as "the axis of evil" in his 2002 speech. Norwegian producer Erik Hillestad traveled to all those countries, recording female singers and traditional lullabies, then back home paired them with Western female artists over backing tracks created by musician
Knut Reiersrud. Although
Reirsrud has opted for an international ambience of subdued loops and beats that tend to stifle the individuality of the tracks, the vocal work is lovely and often quite gorgeous, as when
Eddi Reader and North Korea's Sun Ju Lee come together on "Stars Are Rising" or Elena Fremerman and the National Cathedral Girls Choristers team up with Iran's Pari Zanganeh for "Gohlelale." ~ Chris Nickson