Vlada Tomova

The stark, melancholy landscape of Eastern Europe clings to the voice of Vlada Tomova. The Bulgarian-born Brooklyn resident roams a little widely, however, and some of the Gipsy Kings flourishes on Balkan Tales have been heard a bit too much already. Tomova is at her best when distilling elements more organically connected to the Balkans, setting them to pulsating acoustic rhythms and allowing her voice to soar unhindered to craggy sonic peaks.