Drongomala is set to release his first solo album Scale on Flying Mountain Records. Scale came to life in many locations including Southern India, a Greek island and the UK, before being mixed in the famous Hyde Street Studios in San Francisco - a life-cycle that gives the album a truly border and genre-busting feel.
This exciting new release makes a break from the hyped dynamics of today's records, taking a particularly strong lead from collaborative performances by some of the top Indian classical musicians in the southern Indian region of Kerala. All is finally unified by Drongomala's powerful emotive voice and acoustic guitar.
Opening with the fanfare of Rise and Fall the stage is set for the album's themes of power, love, addiction and disconnection. 'Be A Bird' has a Nick Drake influenced mood of gentle introspection, 'Money' hosts a broken and bluesy feel reminiscent of early Beck records, 'Poppy Flower' phases in and out of focus like a drug dream surrounded by beautiful Santoor playing while 'Out of Them All' takes an 808 drum machine and flute for a ride through dreams of gold and the confusion of choices in life. The record is stuffed with jewels.
Drongomala was born in Manchester,UK, to an Irish mother and Scottish father. He spent most of his childhood in broken mining towns in Scotland and on the border in Ireland. Playing in indie rock bands during his teens he led the Scottish band Baby Bartok to great heights before they spectacularly imploded after an appearance on a primetime weekend TV show hosted by the enimitable Jonathon Ross.
After a period of recovery Drongomala went on to work in the drum and bass scene in Edingburgh with turntablists and musicians releasing through compilations and online communities, but soon the double time beats of jungle gave way to the percussive flurry of Indian tabla beats.
Scale is the record that captures Drongomala's fascination with all things Indian. It is a unique love letter from India - a must for World music fans and a door into Indian music for those who find fusion to be too spicy for their taste.
Track Listing
1 Rise and Fall
2 Be A Bird
3 Out of Them All
4 Fear Is a Tree
5 I Am Me and She Is She
6 Love Is a Lifeboat
7 Money
8 Dig Up Yer Ancestors
9 No Man Is An Island
10 Poppy Flower
11 Stay Before I Go (aalap)
12 Stay B4 I Go
13 Pieces
BUY SCALE FROM THE FLYING MOUNTAIN RECORDS WEBSITE
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Scale by Drongomala for Sale - Press Release and BUY link
Fed Into The Engine by Drongomala at 11:08 am
Labels: drongomala, fusion, indian classical music, Kerala, recording, release, scale
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