Dancing Drums

With jungle not so much fading away as spreading itself into a worldwide phenomenon, the next big British thing appears to be the Asian underground movement, a fusion of Indian instrumental sonorities and Western breakbeat culture. Badmarsh, a DJ who has recorded on his own for the Liquid Sky label, and Shri, a tabla and bass player, here explore a more gentle side of what is often a harsh and frenetic dancehall style. As a solo artist, Badmarsh generally employs the hyperactive breakbeats and ominous atmospherics of jungle, but here he sticks primarily with more moderate tempos while Shri spins out gorgeous melodic basslines and virtuosic tabla rhythms. The Laswellesque bass part on "Gharana" is especially effective, and Shri pulls out a bowed bass to nice effect on the gently propulsive "Lament." Singer Tina Grace chimes in on "The Air I Breathe," but the rest of the album is instrumental. Several tracks go on a couple of minutes too long, and techno snobs will find its pleasantness objectionable. Overall, though, this album is a success. ~ Rick Anderson|