Savina Yannatou is a remarkable Greek vocalist whose artistic journey has evolved significantly over the past fifty years. Her extensive repertoire includes renditions of ancient music, throat singing, compositions for visual art, and collaborations with Can’s Damo Suzuki. Her latest album, created in partnership with the Greek jazz group Primavera en Salonica and Tunisian artist Lamia Bedioui, embarks on a global exploration of traditional songs centered around water—depicting it as both a healing force and a tempestuous element, essential to life yet capable of destruction.
The album opens enchantingly in Greece with “The Song of Klidonas.” This piece reflects a midsummer tradition where women place charms into a vessel filled with clear water left outside under the stars; however, Yannatou infuses this beautiful melody with an undertone of melancholy. The mood then transforms dramatically as ”Naanaa Algenina (Garden Mint)/Ivana,” blends folk melodies from Aswan in Egypt alongside North Macedonian influences into an exhilarating mix—Yannatou’s harmonies intertwine beautifully before she breathlessly navigates through intricate rhythms.
The album traverses various eras—from Ireland to Iraq, Corsica to calabria—yet remains rich in contemporary relevance. Michalis Siganidis’s double bass provides an energetic pulse in the Greek carol “Kalanta of Theophany.” Meanwhile, the tenth-century Arabic poem “Mawal (To the Mourning Dove I Acknowledged)” emerges as an avant-garde prayer set against complex percussion that complements Yannatou’s spoken-word delivery filled with layered whispers.
Traditional instruments such as Kostas Vomvolos’ qanun—a type of Arabic zither—and Harris Lambrakis’s ney—a Persian flute—add depth to this collection while enhancing its dreamlike quality. This album showcases how ancient melodies can flow seamlessly into unexpected modern interpretations.
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