Contemporary Armenian folk trio Armadi Tsayn drops self-titled EP

After a tour of Armenia, the release of three singles — including "Artsakh Aghves,” featuring multi-instrumentalist Mal Barsamian — and performances throughout the Midwest and East Coast, contemporary Armenian folk band Armadi Tsayn — now comprised of oud player and composer Samuel Sjostedt, percussionist Alek Surenian and bassist Filippo Novi-Goller — have returned with the release of their eponymous EP. The album, Armadi Tsayn, was recorded at Sjostedt’s father’s home in central Massachusetts. "My dad’s a musician and has a pretty amazing home studio that I’ve been able to use my whole life,” Sjostedt told the Weekly. "We tracked a lot of stuff there, and then tracked a lot at my apartment.” While the band is considering recording at a "proper studio” for their next project, Sjostedt noted that recording in a familiar space facilitates a more relaxed process. Though the process may have been relaxed, the album keeps listeners alert. The opening track, "Fluttering Bird,” neither coasts nor floats; its melody twists and turns as a rotating set of instruments take turns in the spotlight. A playful dance between piano and oud brings a jazzy, improvisational feel; one that’s adorned with the sparkle of chimes. Aside from being the first track listeners hear on the EP, "Fluttering Bird” also inspired the album’s artwork. Designer and percussionist Alek Surenian explained that the cover has both a literal connection to the song and a metaphorical one. "It also explains the nature of what it means to be an Armenian,” he stated. "In a world where our people have faced immense change through hardships, we end up in different places and evolve in order to survive and find some sense of normalcy, despite the great traumas we endure.” As a Diasporan Armenian who grew up in Chicago, Surenian has experienced firsthand how our communities adapt to their new homes. That adaptation comes through most clearly on "Quasar,” when Armadi Tsayn launches its roots into outer space. An electronic radar sound begins (and ends) what feels like a lost transmission of an oud recording. Sjostedt explained how the name came to be: "They say, on average, a quasar consumes more than a sun’s-worth of matter each day. When I was looking for a name for the piece, I wanted something spacey, mostly from the synthy, liminal space feeling I got from the tune.” The track is a calming end to the release but requires a close listen, as layers of ambient sounds and soft warbles add a warm texture that brings us back to Earth. Though "Quasar” ends the digital version of the album, the CD release includes two bonus tracks: "Consideration,” one of the trio’s most popular numbers, and "Wild Dream,” a song that brings an airy lightness, thanks to guest musician Volkan Efe’s ney (a flute-like instrument made of a reed plant). But the highlight of Armadi Tsayn is its second track. From the staccato snaps of the doumbeg to the ringing of cymbals, "Pleasant Surprise” serves up a buffet of percussion. It’s not just Surenian keeping the beat here — the bass guitar and oud also act as percussion, making way for snippets of drum solos. Later this month, the trio will return to the Lilypad in Cambridge to perform their EP release show. Join them in celebrating their release on Saturday, Jan. 31 at 8 p.m.

Contemporary Armenian folk trio Armadi Tsayn drops self-titled EP

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Knar Bedian

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Knar Bedian

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