Yulara - Future Tribe (2000)

Annie Hilsberg and Robert Matt, better known as Yulara, achieve their desire to bring people of different cultures together through the power of music on their third release for the Higher Octave label. Future Tribe spotlights the duo's increasingly jazzy, up-tempo direction, with tracks featuring guest artists Afro-pop superstar Angelique Kidjo, smooth jazz guitarist Brian Hughes, and new age legend Cusco. Annie Hilsberg shows tremendous musical growth on 12 songs that beautifully reflect her soprano and alto saxophones, flutes, and vocal talents. Robert Matt's keyboards and programming add several layers of ambient grooves and sampled nature sounds into an organic fusion. The title track, written by Angelique Kidjo, is an excellent piece filled with elements of jazz, funk, and dance that are expanded by the exotic vocals of Kidjo and the musical finesse of Potsch Potschka on guitar. This exotic landscape of great sounds continues the concept of their first recording, All Is One, and its follow-up, Cosmic Tree, but Future Tribe explores an additional premise that positions it ahead of their previous offerings. ~ Paula Edelstein