Sultans of String have always had an interest in expansion.  Though the band started off in 2007 as a duo, they eventually grew to a quintet.  On their latest album, Symphony!, they take that growth to a new level with the addition of a full symphony orchestra.

It’s a risky gambit that pays off remarkably.  Though performances by non-classical musicians with orchestras frequently feel gimmicky or forced, the combination has yielded rich, evocative arrangements for the Sultans’ music.

This isn’t to imply that the compositions would have been dull without the addition of the orchestra. The fluidity with which the Sultans transition between, and combine styles from around the world, is extraordinary.  Opening track “Monti’s Revenge” has a rhythm that is heavily influenced by Klezmer music, a Yiddish/Isreali genre, while the next track, “Palmas Sinfónia,” starts off with a funky guitar lick reminiscent of Nelly’s “Ride Wit Me” and quickly moves to a rumba-like rhythm.  On “Emerald Swing,” the Sultans manage to combine a Western hoe-down feel with a gypsy jazz-inflected melody.

Unfortunately, the Sultans don’t always play to their strengths.  Certain aspects of the album’s four ballads are enjoyable; “Sable Island” sounds like the love child of David Gilmour and Graham Parsons, and the strings on “Luna” call to mind Arcade Fire’s “Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels).” But overall, these songs are fairly indistinguishable from one another.

Thankfully, in general, the Sultans, stick to a brightly paced and highly interactive musical pastiche, making Symphony! an engaging and worthwhile listen.