"A Rising Star" – BBC Music Magazine
“… A beguiling debut that intertwines bright and beautiful strands… gorgeous, wine-dark swirls.”
– NPR Music, Top 10 Albums of 2019
“A Gorgeously Kinetic, Restless New Album by Haunting, Dynamic Violinist Layale Chaker…
the leading contender for best album of 2019 so far.” – New York Music Daily
“ Haunting yet quietly rigorous… Often there seems to be more breath than voice in these wordless poems,
though other times Ms. Chaker draws full-bellied sounds, or sketches out silvery arpeggios.” – The New York Times
“Chaker, for her part, plays as one might sing, exhaling through every note with lyrical assurance.
Despite the formidable control with which it's rendered, the music wraps its flesh around
a fiercely driven nervous system.” – RootsWorld
“Potent spell cast… particularly entrancing.” – Textura
“A gorgeous blend of sounds … accomplished with grace and agility.” – In on the Corner
“… The fine string performances, by Chaker especially, stand out.” – The Strad
“Organic, dynamic, and complex. However, the complexity doesn't take center-stage; l
ike a good piece of writing, you are lulled into it with elegant phrasing, immaculate punctuation
and exquisite vocabulary.” – Scenenoise
“ Her violin is pastoral and dreamy.” – Jazz Weekly
“Une exploration sublime et mélancolique... Tant de grâce et de beauté.” – Deuxieme Page
“Innovative and vibrant debut… this original music is full of subtle wit and sublime emotion. C
haker has not simply fused genres, she has transcended them. Her eloquent and poignant
compositions are simultaneously earthy and spiritual, provocative and passionate.” – All About Jazz