Andrea Gerak: Listen to Andrea
Rorogwela (Sunset mix) 
Hungarian singer Andrea Gerak and Spanish composer Angel Oros (also known as Cambridge 2003) present a song originated from Oceania, the famous Rorogwela.
The melody was made well known in Sweet Lullaby, the probably most recognized song of Deep Forest, which counts as a ground breaking piece in creating the World Music genre, and is a widely adored success track, since 15 years. Their first version was followed by several remixes and Jan Garbarek also fell in love with the theme and made a jazzy saxophone piece out of it, the Pygmy Lullaby. Through the years, other musicians also arranged this song, but interestingly enough, no new vocal recordings can be found. This was the challenge for Andrea Gerak when picking up this particular song. She got the final inspiration kick from the album that came out just a few weeks ago: Deep Forest "Sweet Lullaby" Remixed by Toronto based Existence Records, which approaches the song from 16 different facets of techno, presenting new moods in each.
The question was given: can something new still be done with this theme?
First of all, as lyrics of the original Rorogwela recording were not available, Andrea listened to the authentic singing of a late Baegu woman called Afunakwa, and wrote down the text, reconstructing it syllable by syllable, which is a great contribution to preserving a treasure of world traditions.
With her enchanting singing, Andrea Gerak lived up to the challenge, as well as Cambridge 2003 who, in his New Age, sound track and electronica works is always trying to respect and convey the feeling of the subject. So did he very well in two versions of the song.
The Rorogwela Blue Beach mix is more exotic and epic, it is based on the text of the song. It has the pathos and respect towards the deceased father of the children, and another source of inspiration was Whale Rider by Lisa Gerrard. Spicing it up with a few tunes from Eastern-Europe makes it even better connected to the globe.
The Rorogwela Sunset mix is sweeter and lighter, and is more based on the delicacy of Andrea Gerak's singing. One feels the sweetness and sensuality of the islands of Oceania in a well-balanced track.
Uniting the special sensitivity of Andrea Gerak's vocals and the knowledge and creativity of Cambridge 2003, the result is a creditable tribute to a pearl from the people of Solomon Islands.
Credits
Theme: traditional Baegu song from Malaita (Solomon Islands), sung by Afunakwa, recorded by Hugo Zemp in 1968, released on the Fataleka and baegu Music of Malaita CD by UNESCO.
Arrangement, all instruments: Ángel Orós (Cambridge 2003)
Vocals: Andrea Gerák
What people say about it: "I love this kind of music, one can relax to it very well. And I have already said about your singing: excellent, it's simply beyond words. you should make a whole album with such songs, it's so good!!" - Gy.K. - "Magic!" - B.G. - "I think this is one of the most beautiful songs of the world." - R.G. "Enya has nothing on you." - P.S. - "Sometimes it can be good not to understand one single word - like here. Then one would "only" have the experience to resort to, which is not so "only". For me music is, above all, FEELING. Something which is very noticable in this piece. There is a lot that fascinates: the voice, the presence, the sound, the melody... the meaning of the words, or rather me not understanding them, is then of no importance. For even the voice becomes then, in the true sense of the word, an instrument. Enjoyable, lovely, and as I imagine; close to the real origin of Man." Download MP3 (3:46 128kbs 3:46MB)
The original song is actually sad: a girl singing lullaby to her little brother who is crying. She tells him the reason why he can't see their father: he has departed. And asks the deceased to take care of his family from up there where he is now.