Album Club: 07.02.2012: Surinder Sandhu - Cycles and Stories (2004)
Surinder Sandhu - Cycles and Stories (2004)
http://open.spotify.com/album/6YF3DDNTgRrnqnt9g3ULiE
Surinder is a Sarang player and composer and has been trained in Indian Classical music but his music has many influences from Western music. He has now recorded 4 albums of which this is the second album. The first album was a tour de force of music and styles with Cycles and Stories everything is more intimate and has sense of a band playing together. The production is of the highest quality and the musicianship is as tight as any jazz band I heard.
This is one of my favourite albums and I will usually listen to at least once a week. The music itself fits within World music genre. I really enjoy a lot of music from different parts of the world, this is certainly very different to any album that has been chosen before and hopefully it might open up a whole new musical experience.
There are hardly any reviews of this album on the net and reviewing is not my greatest skill but I give it a go.
The music combines Indian Karnic music with Jazz and rock elements. On the whole the music has a intimate feel to it. Surinder is a very talented composer and the album has a feel of well-groomed band playing and creating music they love. It is one of those albums that rewards you with repeated listens, there seems to be something new to discover on even after countless listens.
Re-Visted captures some of the energy of the first album; the music is tight but also a lot going on. Surinder Sarang is almost violin like and the whole concept of the band comes across quickly with some great bass playing and drumming, each like each part brings in something new. After a while some beautiful guitar music flows through the track.
Never Forget has some wonderful melodies, and the music is now starting to become more intimate. I love how the drums and tabla work together there are very few players that keep the timing required that a tabla player has but this works. Yet again Surinder wonderful melodies are always present. Every player adds to melody and structure of the music. I am now totally involved in the music, and usually in almost trance like state.
Paths Up and Paths Down The only vocal song, washes gentle over, the music is reflective and calm now.
Yesterday Living: The music is starting to take me on some exotic journey now I can almost sense the Himalayas Mountains in the distance. Suddenly Tablas and bass comes in and I am know traveling across a landscape. The music is still intimate but somehow manages to be evocative too.
Indian Time is another passionate piece of music, the timing and melodies are simply astounding, Drums and Tablas sometimes play unison lines and sometimes polyrhythms the bass underlines everything, I am not sure how they manage to make something so flexible in timing sound so tight.
Fates Game is a reflective short piece
Cycles and Stories: Another reflective piece with some great rhythms and melodies. The guitarist get to show off some great fusion chops that have almost rock feel to it. When the sax solo comes in I also get to hear some wonderful drumming underlining it all. This is a bunch of musicians really going for it but enjoying every note.
Thoughts of Together: is a very reflective piece of music with some nice guitar and Sarang playing.
Escape to Twilight is more energetic in its feel.
Re-Union Is another gentle reflective track
I saw the band play a few years back I remember being absolutely transfixed by the music
Afterwards I talked to the band they were all approachable and was just pleased to get such positive praise.
So if you like artist like Nitin Sawney give this a try, and even if this is very new to you have a listen
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Originally Posted by John
