Carmen Jaci - Happy Child (2023)

Happy Child is a record about exploration, play, and rekindling with a sense of childlike wonder. The artist’s introspective approach reels us into a surprising, surreal and sometimes theatrical universe where the intimate meets the eccentric. Sounds of mallet percussion and children's toys abound as well as references to pop music, video games and symphonic works. These sounds appear within loop-based tracks that alternate with organic and abstract compositional forms. There is a perceptible tension between lightheartedness and uneasiness as the music makes use of wildly contrasting spaces, often structured as a kind of spatial counterpoint built on top of the already present polyphony and rich sound design. Carmen Jaci’s ornate and highly refined sound production conveys an aura of order and elegance to this collection of eclectic pieces.