In What Language?

Fantastic spoken-word project that combines dance/techno influences and chill-out synth sounds with Iyer's stormy piano and occasional acid-jazz/hip-hop color. It's meant to reflect the bustle of the 21st century airport, and the mood is very modern -- technology, steel, and glass.

The characters are people of color, many from the third world, all feeling the pressure of the globalized economy and the heaviness of Western suspicions... and this was written BEFORE 9/11.

The words draw from the beat-poetry well, often just tumbing images, sometimes sharp or even humorous narrative. Some tracks are less political, reflecting just the wonder of modern transit (see 6, 11).

Strong, effective stuff. Every track deserves airplay. Don't miss the lyrics booklet inside!

2- Starts mournful, turns acid jazz with bright ringing chords and some attitude
4- Midtempo, about a porn-shop vendor. Loud and crashing beat at end
5- Slow, crawling. About airport security. Fast sax solo.
6- Bright, flitting, airy (but starts slow). Philip Glass on Prozac
7- Stiff-beat dance background, fun narrative from a taxi driver.
8- Midtempo acid-jazz feel. The hopelessness of selling lottery tickets.
9- Hip, upbeat. "Sky belt, sky lounge, sky mall, sky drink..."
10- Violent story, a metaphor(?) for business. Splashy piano.
11- Lush, mellow jazz
13- Quietly disturbing and sad, the image of a Baghdad woman
14- Tense upbeat midtempo. Hip-hop vocal, sort of.
15- Dark, creeping. Brutal tale of escape from one brutal regime into another.
16- Fast and tumbling. Really nice track.
17- Mid/slow, deep, with ringing piano. Great cloudy-day jazz.