Asian Groove

Putumayo World Music
Asian Groove

This album should more properly be called South East Asian groove as it contains music mostly from India/Pakistan. Think musical stew with everything from Indo Jazz to contemporary Bhangra music to ‘reimagined’ quawwali music. Most of the artists are UK based and thus exposed to a wide variety of influences including R&B, soul, jazz, funk, hip-hop, etc. Cross-cultural musical fusion is what the CD cover says and I agree.

Track 3 and 6 Both feature the Sitar though in different ways. Track 3 has a very 70s feel to it while track 6 is more catchy and upbeat with the sitar layered with electronica.

Track 7 The only representative of Uzbekistan on this album has traditional Uzbek melody and percussion fused with electronica. Exotic vocals only make it better.

Track 8 Loved this track. I’ve heard Indo Jazz before and never liked it but Deepak Ram plays an awesome flute. There is no tabla accompaniment to this track but its substituted by a male voice calling out the ‘bols’ (tabla notes).

Track 9 Carnatic (classical South Indian music) fused with soul, percussion and funk. Features Tamil vocals with guitar, bongos and a bit of cello.

Track 10 Bally Sagoo has recreated an old Hindi film song and layered it with R&B vocals, funk guitar and a driving drum beat. Typical of how modern DJs are re-interpreting mainstream Hindi film music.

Track 11 Funky use of something called a vocoder (audio processor first used in seventies disco music). Goes unbelievably well with the Punjabi vocals. Contemporary Bhangra music, very dance party.