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1.
Kardia 03:33
2.
Reveal (Lyrics: Ross Jennings) Reach Out With an open heart and a narrow mind With a sleight of hand we reach out... I surround myself With inanimation In the company of none A voiceless mouth In silent words i scream And deafen everyone We are quick to drown In a pool of envy As we wash up on your shore On the mirror's side I'm without reflection Nor a shadow from the sun In a fleeting life That is still worth living If just to see the end Take me in your arms Break me gently From the start my heart's been all but empty Now the rug has been swept from 'neath my feet Take me in your arms and break me gently Reaching out, you reveal yourself to me
3.
4.
Maktoob 05:03
5.
Choice (Lyrics: Yossi Sassi) It's never enough, neither tidy nor buffed The voices inside have nowhere to hide You think you'd know but then you see That's not the way you thought it would be You read the writing on the wall but it doesn't make sense Can you feel what it really all means Can you be at peace with yourself for once... In the heart of the storm, always carry on They bring on more and more, always high tide on your shore You think you'd know but then you see That's not the way you thought it would be You read the writing on the wall but it doesn't make sense Can you feel what it all means? Can you be at peace with yourself for once... You should be glad That wasn't so bad I bet it could have gone worse, yet it was your choice Go make your choice…
6.
7.
Akrotiri 02:47
8.
Monad 03:30
9.
The Syncopating Heart (Lyrics: Yossi Sassi) All day long Right seems wrong What goes up must come down Don't be afraid to be a clown Falling stars How bright they shine Here's a wish and here's a dream I had Now I cannot get them out of my head The syncopating heart is once more torn apart Right from the start you knew your part Riding far The whole world is my car Don't worry if you can't feel your feet In this race there is only one person to beat When you think you are wrong, that's when you are right When you think of black, that’s actually white We pray to the same god, but still we all fight I wonder if we know differently...? The syncopating heart is once more torn apart Right from the start you knew your part With every tear of rain you smile against the pain Remember, complex can only be tamed by plain
10.
Choice (Lyrics: Yossi Sassi) It's never enough, neither tidy nor buffed The voices inside have nowhere to hide You think you'd know but then you see That's not the way you thought it would be You read the writing on the wall but it doesn't make sense Can you feel what it really all means Can you be at peace with yourself for once... In the heart of the storm, always carry on They bring on more and more, always high tide on your shore You think you'd know but then you see That's not the way you thought it would be You read the writing on the wall but it doesn't make sense Can you feel what it all means? Can you be at peace with yourself for once... You should be glad That wasn't so bad I bet it could have gone worse, yet it was your choice Go make your choice…
11.

about

Our Choices are the thing that distinguishes us the most. We differ mostly by the choices we make. Choice transcend deeper than your gender or skin color - they determine Life as we know it. We do not choose our Roots, but we choose our Roads, and pick certain paths rather than others.
This is also the main difference between the child and the adult. An adult defines his routine, his character and essentially his "fate" by a vast collection of choices, small and big, mundane and crucial.

Between the perception that everything is known in advance ("Maktoob", a predestined fate) and the absolute liberty of the individual (I am the only one responsible for my fate, I control all my choices), there is a certain balance. It is difficult to identify completely with any of these extremes. And yet, many people tend to cling on one of these extremists, in different periods of their lives, or consistently, until they depart from us.
This is the initial setting for the discussion of the concept of the new album - 'Illusion of Choice'.

Why CHOICE? Because choices shape our whole lives. In the past, humans would decide very little about themselves, even critical decisions were made in total arbitrariness by an external factor, such as God or the family (the choice of the next king was made by the God you worshiped, or the church, and people would marry those they were told to or matched to, regardless of true love and choice of the heart.
Over the years, the West's approach and the strengthening of focusing on the individual and his needs, have caused the pendulum to shift from the Outside/Externally determined choices (God, family) to the interior/Self-determined choices (me, myself and I).

In the current generation we reach a climax of individual rights and many choices that are driven primarily by our passions and yearnings, true passion & instant gratification guide much of our choices.

What is the ILLUSION, then?
First of all, many of our apparently conscious choices are not conscious at all, and result from structures, connections and experiences in our past, while we are certain that they are the product of our free will. There is also a genetic imperative for complete DNA segments that simply 'trigger' and activate biological "code snippets" and the individual responds to them in their "free choice."

But the greatest illusion happens in the transition to the information age, The Cyber Generation. Cyber is the delicate fabric in which devices, software (lines of code that someone writes) and people - exist. It is not clear where we start and where the devices end, and vice versa. "Battery life" took on a completely different meaning. No battery - no life. Or a whole other life suddenly shines in the lack of full Cyber immerse. Real choices. No code, no algorithm that learns and offers you your next choice. Our personal choices are based on what has been analyzed and chosen for you in advance. You don't really choose how to travel when using 'Waze'. You don't really choose what to see on your Facebook feed. We choose for ourselves, but we are conducted with a false sense of total choice. A deep sense of control, a space that is completely undemocratic, not anonymous, and out of our control.
Welcome to "The Illusion of Choice" - an open album that was recorded open heatedly next to the open sea on a secluded Island, by a group of musicians who broke away from everything for a few days and tried to really choose what they feel and want to do.

And what do you think?
We'll be glad to hear. If you choose to.

Go Make Your Choice.
Yossi

credits

released March 25, 2018

Composed & Produced by Yossi Sassi
Additional arrangements by The Oriental Rock Orchestra

The Oriental Rock Orchestra
Yossi Sassi – Vocals, Guitars (Electric, Nylon-String, Acoustic), Bouzoukitara, Bouzouki, Charango, Oud, Chumbush, Mandolin
Or Lubianiker – Electric Bass
Shay Ifrah – Drums
Ben Azar – 7 String Guitars, Guitar Solo on "Maktoob"
Roei Fridman – Percussion
Danielle Sassi – Flute
Yogev Levi – Nay flutes
Ariel Qassis - Kanun

Guest musicians
Ross Jennings – Vocals on "Reveal"
Ester Rada - Vocals on "Choice"
Amir Rozanes, Roei Fridman, Or Lubianiker, Ben Azar, Yossi Sassi – Choir
Yoed Nir - Cello, Strings, backing vocals on "Choice"
Hen Shenhar - Violin

String arrangement by 'Yoed Nir String Productions'
Strings recorded at Yoed Nir's Studios

Engineered and recorded by Liron Schaffer at 'Black Rock Studios', Santorini, Greece at September 2017, and Jaffa Sound Arts, Tel-Aviv Jaffa, at October 2017.
Santorini Sessions Assistant engineer - Nikos Goudinakis
Jaffa assistant engineers – Aner Baruch, Eli Goren
Mixed by Liron Schaffer at Jaffa Sound Arts
Mastered by Jonathan Jacobi at Jaffa Sound Arts
Pre-production & additional recordings by Yossi Sassi at Simplyossi studios

General Management & Santorini Production Management: Amir Rozanes
Cover & booklet artwork by Alona Nof
Santorini band photos by Amir Rozanes & 'The Oriental Rock Orchestra' members
Legal consulting: Ivri, Kerner & Co .Law Offices

Big thanks to Jeremy Shotts (aka Jolly J) for his endless help & devotion.

This album became a reality thanks to YOU, our utterly appreciated 361 supporters! Very special thanks to Amir Bahari, Katia & Ernesto Weber, Larry Berkovitz, Michal Kubicki, Ohad Gliksman, Oudi Antebi, Stephen Jones & Yannick Wattiau for being such a significant part in making it happen.

Go Make Your Choice.

www.YossiSassi.com
www.facebook.com/YossiSassi
www.youtube.com/YossiSassiOfficial
yossiassi.bandcamp.com

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Yossi Sassi & The Oriental Rock Orchestra Israel

Familiar worldwide to music fans by his unique trademark signature sound, Yossi Sassi merges east & west, pioneering Oriental Rock.

With 30+ years as a Producer and Composer/Arranger, as well as founding member of "Orphaned Land" & inventor of the Bouzoukitara instrument, Sassi was voted "Top Newcomer 2012" by 'Rock Hard' magazine readers, and considered for Grammy nomination submission in 2016.
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