Romanian group Zmei3 is fronted by mezzo-soprano Paula Turcas, an opera-trained singer who employs her powerful voice in settings of unconventional rock, dark lullabies with a jazz undertow and rhythms derived from Eastern Europe. Recorded in storied Transylvania without overdubs, Rough Romanian Soul features imaginative arrangements involving vibraphones and Turcas’ sometimes-wordless vocals in music of fierce homespun integrity.
