This isn't the sort of album you play for background relaxation.

Fishtank Ensemble's Samurai Over Serbia, their second recording, is a blend of Romani traditions from Eastern Europe and the Far and Middle East, klezmer and gypsy jazz, Parisian cafes, New Orleans jazz clubs and early film scores. It's exciting, invigorating music that samples from a global buffet and leaves you wanting more.

From the first track, "Saraiman," you know this is going to be a disc full of wild, unusual, imaginative sounds that insist on your attention. And the album keeps you guessing, through "Turkish March," "Spirit Prison" and "Mehum Mato," all the way to lucky 13, "Yasaburo Bushi." Much of the music comes from a variety of traditional sources -- and one track is credited to Mozart, although he definitely didn't have this arrangement in mind -- and there are several original selections that sound and feel older than their years. But the band adds a fresh, modern twist to the recording that digs into your ears and sticks with you long after the disc stops spinning.

The band features gypsy violinists Fabrice Martinez and Ursula Knudsen at the forefront. Not only do their violins drive the music forward with frenetic energy, but Knudsen's operatic vocals -- sometimes borrowing a distinctive 1920s sensibility -- really define their sound. (So, too, does her inventive use of the musical saw.)

Besides Martinez (violin and violomba) and Knudson (vocals, violin, musical saw, banjolele and percussion), the band is Douglas Smolens (guitar), Aaron Seeman (accordion), Djordje Stijepovic and Andy Zacharias (upright bass), Mike Penny (shamisen and guitar) and Kevin Kmetz (additional shamisen and guitar).

Treat yourself to something a little different and give this one a try.

Read an interview with the band.