1. Ormen Lange: Armen Stepanyan: Duduk. GI: Gitloop, Udustcks, Talking drum, CS15 bass, Slitdrum, Noise.

2. Fisher: GI: Tammaloop, Piano, Djembe, Shakers, Ebow, MS20-pad, Wahguitar, Basement percussion, Radio, Synths.

3. Gepra: GI: Junoarp, Rhodes, Piano, Moogbass, CS30, Ionoise Submarine Swede.

4 Zakopane: Armen Stepanyan: Processed Duduk, GI: Bells, Moogloop, Omnichord, Wavetabla, Djembe, Cymbals, Nordbass, Synths, Treatments.

Produced by Green Isac at Frydenlund Studio, Oslo, Norway. Cover art by Yvonne Fagervoll. Cover design by Howard Givens.

Green Isac crosses the highly popular Electronic dance energy with the traditional world elements of the west-African grooves from Gambia, layered with Asian textures and minimalist structural influences, inspired by composers like Philip Glass and Steve Reich. This outstanding new work features sophisticated electronic grooves, crafted textures and treatments, constrained melodic motifs, west-African drum grooves, wordless vocals, and a wide array of acoustic and percussion instruments.

It's been much too long between albums for Green Isac, about five years. And I've actually held off making it an Echoes pick, because its charms are subtle and work their ways over time. But their latest CD, Groundrush, reminds me why they've been one of our favorite groups on Echoes over the years. Green Isac is a Norwegian duo working ethno-techno strategies with a sly humor and grace worthy of Brian Eno from his Another Green World days. As they have on previous albums, Green Isac mixes ethnic instruments like the Chinese yang ch'in, African djembe and Indian Bansuri flute. These are spun into kinetic rhythms, sometimes electronically powered, but more often acoustic, with accents from manipulated guitars, and quirky synths, setting them in alien landscapes. Green Isac takes the simplest melodies, from the repeated flute line of "Sufi Too" to the electric piano theme that emerges out of the echoed rhythms of "Mifune," and turns them into Pachebel-like canons. Groundrush has an air of mystery and intrigue, but Green Isac renders it with a twinkle in their eyes. - John Diliberto/Echoes

This duo of Morten Lund and Andreas Eriksen from Oslo, Norway -- better known as Green Isac -- have fashioned a fascinating fusion of electronic and world music. Bold and provocative melodies are meshed with synthetic rhythms, serving as the foundation for this intriguing sophomore effort. Invigorating hand percussion and various string instrumentation add to the already exotic environment to blend with pop/rock sensibilities. The result is an ambient world music sound that strikes an intoxicating, yet grounded, earthy chord. - MusD/All Music

From the intricate minimalist patterns of Steve Reich, the techno-tribal mystery of Jon Hassell, and the tango seductions of Astor Piazzola to the rhythmic vitality of rock and the percussive ecstasy of Third-world traditions, Green Isac seems to have summed up the major innovations of the late 20th century in a single well-crafted album. - Linda Kohanov/All Music