Nitin Sawhney – One Zero (Metropolis
Recordings/Cherry Red)
CD/Vinyl Box Set
Out Now
There’s something always makes me wince
when I hear that an artist has ‘re-interpreted their songs for an acoustic
album’. To me, it usually marks lack of
idea and well, a bit of a cash-in or a stop-gap before a new album. It would appear that the new Nitin Sawhney
album may be one of the later with a new album, Dystopian Dream, due in 2014.
What makes this album intriguing is
the fact that it was recorded live, straight to vinyl. Something which apparently hasn’t been done
in the mainstream for thirty-five years.
What makes this such a great thing?
According to Sawhney, it enhances focus, commitment and concentration,
and, listening to the album you really can’t argue with the man. Tracks like openers Accept Yourself and
Sunset are immaculate, perfectly performed , and contain the wonderful fusion
of East meets West that he is so clever
at creating. A whole generation of
listeners possibly turned onto Indian music by his originality and daring.
Where the album goes slightly awry
is with some of his tracks that do not have the inter-continental fusion. With early albums Spirit Dance or Migration
he was truly original and spellbinding, but, in later years he has opted for a
more westernised, commercial feel which has, in many ways, lost some of the Sawhney
charm. Album closer, I Ask You, is case
in point. Featuring guest vocals by the
undoubtedly talented Joss Stone, it is merely a pop song (and not a
particularly great one) which is carried by her vocals. It’s nice enough but doesn’t possess anything
any different to a million other songs around at the moment.
There are other great highlights
though, the vocal interplay and frenetic percussion on The Conference was
always superb, but, it now lifted to another level on OneZero, and, the
Indian/Blues mix on Dead Man makes for a brilliant track.
The album does contain excellent
musicianship and is well worth a listen merely for that, but, if you want to
hear Sawhney at his best, 1999’s Beyond Skin is probably the one most likely to
help to get to know the man.
7.5/10
Links
Published on Louder Than War 19/07/13 - here
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