NATURAL ELEMENTS

A balanced performance that goes beyond the "exotic", this, as mere MUSIC (without tags), is awesome. The indo-raga/prog element is pure in its source, and yet, the song writing, kidnaps the whole experience fom its limits (as all tagged things suffer of) with sheer genius. All the musicians are top players, close to virtuous, but they are too professional, to exceed or pretend to be "main characters" in the process of creation. This by turn makes it unrepeatable, unique and an unforgettable audiophile experience, and it all has to do with music composition.

John McLaughlin's restrains himself from his natural "speed", in able to follow Lakshminarayana Shankar's vioin or viola, and it turns out to be far more interesting without it. He displays one of his most perfected acoustic performances. Of course, this is all due to the fact that L. Shankar's performance is impeccable, and most of the time he delivers the "wild' and "spiritual" side of the album. The percussive side runs like magic with Zakir Hussain and Vikku Vinayakram and both alongside Shankar are the vocal section of the ensemble.

Since this album appeared in my Prog/collection, I have not found something so free of its roots without losing its own identity. To be so Prog, without the obvious instrumentation, I insist, has to do with the undercovered side of music composition, therefore the instant connection to any kind of ears, more if they are "Prog" or "World".

Still waiting for something more from Shakti in this kind of genius level. *****5 PA stars.