On Earth Day we’re happy to share with you Nico de Transilvania’s new mix: Muzică Without Frontiers Vol.7 – Visions. As music is what brought us here.
Starting with Nico singing a traditional Romanian song, Săracă Inima Me, which she learnt from her grandma Rozalia as a child and recorded in the forests of Carpathian mountains; ‘Visions’ is designed to take you on a global musical journey, with a message to hold onto visions and hope in the midst of life’s challenges.
Nico and David recording in the forest. Picture by Marius Sumlea
It’s dedicated to the memory of David Alexander Yeoman, Forests’ dear friend and musician, who sadly passed away in January, and Nicoleta’s mother Ileana, who also passed at the end of last year.
Nico will be back out in Romania this year to continue recording her new multi-media project – I N T E R B E I N G. Supported by Cambridge University – as part of their Endangered Landscape artists residency – and the Romanian Arts Fund (AFCN), the project celebrates the interconnectedness of all things, raising awareness of the endangered landscapes and traditions in the Carpathian Mountains and aims to help protect them through preserving these ancient songs, as well as planting trees in the area through the money raised from sales.
You can listen to it here
And watch the I N T E R B E I N G trailer video below
And read the story of the mix in Nico’s words:
“I’m really glad to finally release this mix that I’ve been working on for a while. Following the pandemic and not being able to play live, as well as dealing with the grief of losing two people I loved dearly, it was quite an emotional journey, which is reflected in the mix. I also wanted it to celebrate life and hold on to hope and beauty.
Nico and her mum Ileana and a bunch of Liliac from her garden
The first track, Săracă Inima Me, was composed and recorded by David in the Carpathian forests and I discovered David Walters’ song Mama after my own mum’s funeral in Romania on my way back to the UK. It discusses the life advice your mum gives you and it mixes into Henrik Schwarz I Exist Because of You – and I exist because of my mum.
Jules, aka Abstract Source, who worked on this mix with me also helped to mash up two favourite songs of mine Wildfires by Sault and Apricots by Bicep, which we’ll put on our SoundCloud pages as Abstract and Nico.
For the end of the mix I chose a song from a favourite Ukrainian band DakhaBrakha, Nad Dunaem, which is about a woman overlooking the Danube who knows she needs to throw herself in and swim to the other side.
As with all my mixes I feature songs that talk about the challenges we face as humanity on this planet – and this seemed particularly poignant, given the situation in Ukraine and people fleeing across the Danube to Romania.
The last voice you hear on the mix is David chanting an African song, alongside his Khimera band member Tim Slade, which translates as ‘Mum You’re Gone, But Not Far Away’ – a song that they wrote in memory of Tim’s mum. I thought it felt particularly relevant as this mix is dedicated to the memory of my mum and David and although they are both gone and people we love pass, I like to think that they are not that far away.
Nico planting a tree in the Carpathian Mountains
All my Muzică Without Frontiers mixes are available to listen on my SoundCloud page. You can also donate to plant trees with Forests Without Frontiers which was set up with profits from my debut album Be One.
Below is the full list of all the tracks included in the mix – with thanks to all the amazing artists who composed these songs. Music – and nature – is our greatest healer!
With special thanks to Jules for his input and support. He is also the co-producer of my upcoming album I N T E R B E I N G. “
Nico
Visions track list:
Nico with an ancient Beech tree in the Carpathian Mountains.
Picture credit: Marius Sumlea
1. Nico de Transilvania - Săracă Inima Me feat. David Alexander Yeoman
2. Yaima - Gajumaru
3. Doctor Flake - Cinema
4. Ezechiel Pailhes - Qui Sait
5. Islandman - Rest in Space
6. Nico de Transilvania - Trece Doru feat. Abstract Source & Monooka
7. Ribas Abbas - Zulal Ash Ninar
8. Yeahman - Quemada
9. Qodes - Una Favela
10. Be Svendsen - Nabia
11. Alma Negra - Berimbau
12. Red Axes - Sun My Sweet Sun
13. Pupkulies & Rebecca - Saude feat. Tibau
14. David Walters - Mama (Déni-Shain Remix)
15. Henrik Schwarz - I Exist Because of You
16. Pongo - Kuzola
17. Sault vs Bicep (Wildfires/Apricots) - Abstract & Nico Mashup
18. Stavros - The Finishing
19. DakhaBrakha - Nad Dunaem
20. Khimera (David Alexander Yeoman & Tim Slade) - Gone, But Not That Far
Nico (Nicoleta Carpineanu) is the founder of Forests Without Frontiers, you can follow her on social media pages to keep up to date with updates for I N T E R B E I N G project.
www.instagram.com/nicodetransilvania
www.facebook.com/nicodetransilvania
twitter.com/ndetransilvania
Enjoy the music, something that keeps us going!
Forests Without Frontiers team