“Soul to Sol“, the new album from Ruby Flower Records by poet Miguel Algarin and bass player Albey Balgochian is a fusion of candid words and the eccentric tones from the upright bass. The cerebral exchange between Algarin and Balgochian is striking and unexpectedly harmonious as they delve into the twisted realm of the subconscious mind.

Balgochian’s exploration of the underbelly of the bass is a study in the flexibility of the instrument and its alter-ego to depict the world of the dark and mysterious psyche. Algarin is equally provocative, a description given to him by his colleague the poet Amiri Baraka, as he vents about the ails of society and the contradictions that procure prejudices to thrive in cultures. Together, the pair demonstrate the effectiveness of the spoken word and improved bass to move people to become aware of the under side of common thinking.

Algarin’s words in the track “Fear” penetrate the mind in ways that other scholars hesitate to tread as he proposes, “They envy our private meditation / They ring every pure emotion out of us… They rape with a cable TV, the invisible spy / They rape with a cable TV, the invisible spy / Transmitting while appearing to be off.” Algarin’s words motivate people to think about their surroundings, their decisions, their government’s decisions, and the decisions made by industries that infiltrate people’s lifestyle.

Algarin and Balgochian’s collaborative pairing on “Soul to Sol” is an experimental expression of music and lyrics as the bass feeds off of the words and vice versa. Scholars have argued that there are two basic struggles in life, man vs. man and man vs. nature. In Algarin and Balgochian’s belief system there is one struggle to face and that is man vs. his own nature. Their album means to make other’s aware of themselves.

CD Release Party
June 9, 2011 @ 7pm
Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 East 3rd Street
New York, NY
Cost: $15
www.nuyorican.org

Relatable websites:
www.miguelalgarin.com
www.albeybalgochian.com

http://www.rubyflower-records.com/index.php?option=com_newsfeeds&catid=41&Itemid=99