Opium Jukebox – Never Mind the Bhangra…
Reviewed by Sadie O., 7/20/11
Sitar/drone/electronica/club cover of the Sex Pistols album. Actually nothing Bhangra about it, which is disappointing, but it’s still quite interesting stuff. Since there are essentially no vocals, it can be pretty challenging to recognize the songs. Recommended by SF punk scene leader Peter Urban, although you can’t really pogo to it. It’s all pretty awesome, actually.
1. 5:03 **trance-y and really quite lovely, with sitar and fretless bass. The song really lends itself to the format. Goes into subdued club beat with electronics halfway through.
2. 5:20 ***sound collage and plinkybats, jungle beat – odd combination, but damned interesting. Subliminal “Margaret Thatcher”…
3. 4:50 **sitar junglism. Ethereal and pretty. Vacant in much the same way that a Hindu fakir’s mind is vacant. Nice hand drums in last minute.
4. 6:25 ***drone and electronica, very dark. Gets orchestral in second half.
5. 4:15 ***jaunty tabla beat and lots of sitar.
6. 5:43 **rain sounds, sound collage with bits of chanting, dubbiness and randomosity.
7. 4:18 ***so very peaceful, mellow and pretty! And, since it’s not an actual Pistols tune, there’s a recognizable tune. Sitar-electro-lounge.
8. 6:38 **nice tabla sway, pretty sitar drone. Goddamn, I can feel my third eye opening! There’s a bit of rumba beat halfway through, too.
9. 6:50 *dubby sound collage and something that might actually be a dhol drum, making this experimental electro-bhangra (kinda). Actually gets kind of annoying after a while, sorry…