Lea Maria Fries – CLEO (Deluxe Edition)
(Switzerland - Released December 12, 2025)
Vocal Jazz
With CLEO (Deluxe Edition), Lea Maria Fries revisits an already powerful album and expands it with four additional tracks that deepen its emotional and musical scope. More than a simple extension, this deluxe edition feels like a widening of perspective, allowing the original material to breathe, resonate, and reveal new layers. At its core, it reaffirms what made CLEO so striking in the first place: the sheer authority, flexibility, and expressive force of Fries’ voice.
The centerpiece of this expanded edition is without question the special radio edit of “Jóga,” featuring Vincent Peirani, a daring reinterpretation of Björk’s iconic composition. Rather than relying on electronic tension or dramatic architecture, this version introduces an organic depth that reshapes the song’s emotional weight. Peirani’s accordion brings a living, breathing substance to the music. You can feel the air moving through the instrument, the friction of reeds, the physical presence of sound. Where the original thrives on icy grandeur, this version gains a gravity that feels almost tactile.
Crucially, Peirani never shadows or imitates the vocal line. Instead, he enters into a true dialogue with Lea Maria Fries’ voice. The accordion responds emotionally to each sung phrase, sometimes echoing it, sometimes pushing gently against it. This constant motion around the voice magnifies its impact. Fries’ vocal power, already central to the album, feels even more pronounced here — not through excess, but through contrast and space.
This is also what makes the track feel like a jazz re-reading rather than a decorative cover. Peirani’s background in improvisation introduces rhythmic elasticity and harmonic freedom, pulling the song away from homage and into transformation. The music becomes more grounded, more human, less distant. The drama no longer feels imposed; it unfolds naturally, shaped by breath, timing, and intuition.
There is, finally, a distinctly European emotional anchoring to this version of “Jóga.” Peirani’s playing carries a cinematic intimacy, sometimes melancholic, sometimes quietly luminous. The electronic vastness of the original gives way to something closer, almost confessional. The accordion doesn’t replace texture — it becomes the emotional amplifier, allowing vulnerability to surface without ornament.
Across CLEO (Deluxe Edition), these additional tracks function not as appendices but as clarifications. They sharpen the album’s identity while expanding its emotional palette. Fries’ voice remains the guiding force — controlled, fearless, deeply expressive - but now framed by moments that underline its humanity as much as its strength.
In summary, Vincent Peirani does not simply add an instrument. He reshapes the emotional space of “Jóga,” turning it into a meeting point between the volcanic vocal force of Lea Maria Fries and an instrumental expressivity that is profoundly human. Together, they transform the song into something intimate, physical, and quietly overwhelming.
© Thusblog
