TALVIN SINGH PRESENTS ANOKHA: SOUNDZ OF THE ASIAN UNDERGROUND
Quango / Island
Producer / tabla player Talvin Singh has put together a truly interesting album of India's up-and-coming drum & bass musicians. Except it's not that simple, you see because these artists also incorporate traditional Indian instruments and sounds into their music. And that it what makes Anokha stand out from every other "electronica" compilation out there. The first song, Jaan by Talvin Singh and Amar would be a rich piece of music if it were just Singh, but with Amar's hauntingly etherial voice singing words I don't understand, it becomes a mezmerizing, ghostly, and fantastically exotic track. Unfortunately not every song on this disc possesses that kind of magic, though many come close. Flight IC408 by State of Bengal is nice, but at 7 minutes and 20 seconds is just a bit too long. Kizmet by Lelonek is another decent track, as is Shang High by Future Soundz of India. More to my liking, however were the arresting Distant God by Talvin Singh and Leone and K-Ascendant by Kingsuk Biswas. One interesting song is Mumbai Theme Tune by A. R. Rahman, famous in India for his film soundtracks. This is a soft, evocative piece that makes me think of a man walking through a lonely desert town. It would sound right at home on the Fantasia soundtrack. For an edgy dose of opposites attracting, queue up K-Ascendant, the album's final track. Kingsuk Biswas perfectly intertwines pounding percussion with a drifting piano-sounding tune that holds its own in a masterful piece of music. All in all, if you're open to something a little different, Anokha will definitely satisfy, whether you want to groove on the dance floor or just chill out.
Review by Aram at: Frames Per Second
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