NATURAL ELEMENTS

Third (and final) tome of a trilogy, Natural Elements is still recorded with the same quartet, but this time in a Switzerland studio in July 77. This third album is the least known (or at least rarer), but finally, we have a Shakti album with an evocative artwork, even if it looks more like a Japanese engravings theme, than Indian. Their last album is their most varied one to date, consisting of much shorter tracks (8 instead of 3 in the s/t), with Mc using a bit of electric guitar and percussionist Zakir Hussein using a wide array of non- Indian instruments.

Right from the first wild runs/bursts of instruments on Mind Ecology, you know Shakti has again progressed compared to previous albums, as the Indian classical music is now only a tool and not a means or a finality: This track is closest to Mahavishnu Orchestra than Shakti (well almost, anyway)!! Face To Face is a great (I'd almost say excellent) raga-lead adventure throughout western lands and their musical realm. With Come On Baby, Dance With Me, you can feel that Carlos Santana did manage to influence Mc (even if credited to Shankar), because the track has a definite Latin feel, dare I say even a tad of Flamenco into it. Daffodil is maybe the most unfocused track on all three albums, as it roams from Beethoven-type to Far-East-style of music. While a very impressive track (this is a mini tour-de-force of songwriting), it sounds simply too cliché and is too obvious in its demonstration willingness.

On the flipside, there are the fairly cringe-inducing track Happiness (violin is painfully high-strung and some poor a capella choirs, amongst other flaws) or the conventional Indian classical track Get Down. But on the other hand, Bridge Of Sigh is a very pleasant track (not coming close to Robin's track, though), hanging on raga beat to keep the Indian element, while the melodies sound anything but Indian, except for its tabla solo. The closing Piece Of Mind, a calm duo between a squealing violin and guitar strumming, is clearly Shakti's Chant Du Cygne (but without the fat lady singing ;o)) and a fitting outro for the band.

For non-purists, clearly Natural Elements is Shakti's most interesting album, the one where Mc's original goal of fusion between Western and Eastern music realms works best, but overall the Indian roots are still present but not quite as overpowering as in the debut album. .