Hans Reichel - Yuxo A New Daxophone Operetta (2002)

Why is Hans Reichel a genius? Because he invented the daxophone, one of the strangest, most fascinating instruments of the 20th century, but also because he has been able to use its full potential in pieces that bridge avant-garde composition and family entertainment. Released in 2002, Yuxo picks up where Shanghaied on Tor Road had left ten years before. Subtitled "A New Daxophone Operetta," it is performed solely on Reichel's wailing microtonal instruments -- actually, an array of these in different shapes and sizes, multi-tracked to create a virtual orchestra of daxophones. The term operetta has not been chosen innocently. Reichel keeps from the classical genre its song format (albeit instrumental here) and lightness. The melodies are playful, the arrangements deceptively simple. At the core of it all resides the sound of the instrument, throaty but clear, an impossible cross between the violin and the human voice. Each piece is a delight, its melody recognizable on second listen. "Death Procession" feels like being trapped in a movie by a Martian incarnation of Federico Fellini. Flashes of Ennio Morricone and Nino Rota captured by a cartoonish pygmy tribe go by, alternating with images of mutating pump organs ("Sometimes at Night") and dancing ghosts ("You Can Dance With Me"). The daxophones take lives of their own, deliriously mischievous, sometimes even childish. What it comes down to in the end is serious fun, irresistible tunes, and the masterpiece one was not expecting anymore from Reichel. Highly recommended if you can (or want to) crack a smile once in a while.