Santa Bayanian and the eerie whimsical narratives of "Barabashka"

 

"mysterious and sideways"

As a music writer who gets submissions on a daily basis you might get a lot songs in the vein of The Strokes, Taylor Swift, Lana Del Rey, Queens Of The Stone Age, Arctic Monkeys and that's ok, it's inevitable but every now and then you get something unexpected. "Barabashka", a whimsical, mysterious and sideways instrumental in 7/4 time by Californian composer / musician Santa Bayanian is once such song. SB shares that "a barabashka is a house spirit and the song is about it tip toeing around the house at night" and you immediately get that sense listening to it. The track is from Santa Bayanian's new album "Signatures Of Time" where all the compositions are written for the Bayan, a Russian accordion.

I admittedly am not super fluent in this kind of music but it does feel (to me) a bit like an amalgam of artists like Brazilian musician and composer Zequinha de Abreu (1880 – 1935) maybe best know for "Tico-Tico no fubá" (1917) and Danny Elfman, who I suppose needs no introduction. I am also sensing the down beats of Klezmer music but, again, I am wholly not qualified to be precise or accurate on this. 

I did peruse the album "Signatures Of Time" and there is a whole lot to like / love especially (in my mind) for those film makers out there who need evocative music that can cut in a dozen ways. For example I could see "Barabashka" in 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' and other movies I have seen lately. 

-Robb Donker Curtius

THE FACTS AS WE KNOW THEM 

https://open.spotify.com/artist/2flBNdynwWIU1k1HE16d0O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewBwN1ClTSE


"This is off my latest album which is an eclectic mix of styles. Everything I compose is written for the Bayan (Russian accordion). I'm pure Californian, Like all types of music, especially Zappa"

Santa Bayanian, freak folk, folk, world music, indie folk, obtuse, Bayan music, single "Barabashka", new album "Signatures Of Time"