A Closer Listen
Tết 41 is just about as fun as an album can be. A celebration of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, the album is bookended by field recordings, while it has an electronic center: a sonic imitation of a New Year’s treat. This is JakoJako (Sibel Jacqueline Koçer)’s love letter to her Vietnamese heritage, a way to “bring the Lunar Celebration back to Europe,” where she now resides.
Thís year’s Tết (short for Tet Nguyen Dan) took place on January 29, and this is the Vietnamese Year of the Snake. The streets were lined with depictions of the reptile, along with lanterns and floats and the sounds of children and drums. The festival marks the arrival of spring. One can hear the exuberance in the opener as traditional music is played and celebrants line the streets. Then the first electronic piece: “Kumquat” bubbles and dances, honoring the tradition of having a kumquat or peach blossom tree in one’s house to symbolize a new start. The song, fresh and crisp, is a perfect representation: modular synthesis, a non-traditional language, but easy to understand. Fear not, the peach blossom (“Hoa đào”) will appear later! “Lì xì” (“Lucky Money”) refers to red envelopes given to children, filled with money from elders, a wish of prosperity for the new year.
When JakoJako slows the pace in pieces such as “Đà Nẵng”, one is led to feelings of gratitude and peace. Traditionally, one does not bring up unpleasant subjects during the three-day celebration; imagine if such were true throughout the year! The track exudes the calm of Tất Niên, the house cleaned, the honored guest invited, the feast prepared. Soon it will be time to head to the Dragon Bridge Fire and Water show! Still only a dozen years old, the bridge is already viewed as iconic. JakoJako’s piece sparkles like the reflection of fire in the river below.
“Gió” (“Wind”), the last of the electronic selections, melds ambient and electronic, old and new, Western and Eastern, producing a feeling of balance as the new year begins. In the closing piece, translated as “Thank you,” the focus returns to the streets. Even the traffic seems happy, the brief honks like hellos. JakoJako coats the field recordings with light ambience; a new year has begun with Bánh Chưng and Bánh Tét, a feeling of hope, promising a fresh start. Chúc mừng năm mới! (Richard Allen)
Sat Jun 07 00:01:12 GMT 2025