Veronika Varga is a seasoned performer of more than a decade, both solo and as a member of various ensembles (Babra, BudaPesme, VreMea Válkània, Epseria, and her a cappella project Lemonokipos). True Picture is the recording debut of the Hungarian folk singer and double bassist, presenting a program of traditional Hungarian and Greek songs.
Solo vocal and acoustic bass arrangements of traditional songs could be monotonous, but there’s plenty of sonic variety in this program. Varga is assisted by Lemonokipos Project on some of the Hungarian songs including the opening lullaby “Angylka” (Little angel) and on the stirring Greek ode to the Mediterranean “Ti thalassa ti galani” (The sea, the azure).
The drama of Hungarian song comes forth strongly in arrangements that combine bass and vocals, whether relatively lively tracks like “Titok” (Secret), the plodding Transylvanian bridal lament “Feher galamb” (the white dove) with close harmonies, and the Sevdah-like “Liliomszal” (Lily), with lyrics in both languages and a bass accompaniment that wouldn’t be out of place on a free jazz piece. Very contemporary sounding contributions from Ion Curteanu on cimbalom add drama to the quietly ecstatic Hungarian religious folk song “Menny” (Heaven).
The arrangements seem to get more contemporary and even avant garde as the album progresses. The Greek bridal lament “Afino geia” (I bid farewell) features droning keyboards and Turkish influenced vocal inflections; “Baba” has multi-tracked improvised wordless vocals over bass and tinkling cimbalom; and the final track “Csond” (Silence) finds Varga reciting poetry excerpts over multiple layers of wordless vocals and ambient field recordings. Definitely not what I expected from what at first seems like an austere folk album. True Picture is a quietly stunning debut.
(CPL-Music, 2025)
