super deep african / new age / minimalistic / ambient crossover from cabo verde - not the typical record, a beautiful listening experience check! originally conceived as a book of 6 poems that developed into a record released independently in 1986, universo da ilha sits at the cross-section of many different genres. connecting contemporary new age and ambient minimalist movements with traditional west african and cape verdean elements from the past (griot voices, djembe rhythms, melancholic morna), vasco constructed his own universe where, in spite of the isolation of the island at the time, he transcended barriers and created a global record that was ahead of its time vasco used his own synths and drum machines, and with the help of a small group of friends (tey gonçalves on percussion, neney’s amazing griot voice, luis morais on sax and flute), he recorded this not-balearic-but-atlantic ambient odyssey on a 16-channel peavey mixer directly to an akai tape recorder without overdubs.