Invisible Rain by TJ Rehmi
I will review this album in the track order that is suggested by TJ himself in the album. He states that we should listen to the album in the track order of 6,7,4,9,3,1,8,2,5,10,11 and although the track reviews below are presented to you in the track order that the cd is in. I just wished to tell you that this review is done while listening to the album over and over in the above mentioned track order. On to the tracks:
Tracks / Reviews:
- This Duniya: This Duniya, is a very melodious, calming, flowing track that simply doesn't need any critique. TJ's programming on this track is simply marvelous. This is the track that caused me to love the fact that I bought this album. Although, it does go away from the slow ambient to fast ambient flow TJ had promised.
- Exposure: Exposure, is a great hard hitting drum & base (fast ambient as TJ puts it) track that is done very well, with violins combined well with the programming of TJ. Stops and lulls, thrown in absolutely perfectly. Even 4 minutes seems so short :( for a track as good as this.
- Shaam Aye: Shaam Aye, is Verinder Kumar's sitar combined with a stangnant beat of TJ. The only thing that saves this track is hypnotic and vibrant sitar playing by Kumar. TJ is a great producer but sometimes he seriously needs to put more thought into his work. Throwing in a flute here and there just doesn't cut it.
- Dear Earthling: Dear Earthling, starts up with the serene chant of Faheem Mazhar's voice and staying with it the entire way through the song and flowing endlessly. Its a melody surrounding masterpience.
- Soft Equations: "Got, got, got the miracle stuff." This song definitly has the miracle stuff. Maybe it's because I am partial towards such songs, but its so rare to hear songs that works a drum and base beat and south asian influences so well without sounding tacky and overdone.
- Invisible Rain: Invisible Rain, is mellow excursion to the keyboarding wizidry of TJ himself, combined with ecectronic affects that give this track the feeling of a beat that would work perfectly in one's ears if it was raining outside. Close your eyes and let him burn you with desire for a dance but chill you with his flutes, keyboards and bass.
- The Alkhemist: The Alkhemist, jumps up the pace of the previous track from a mellow grove to a faster one. TJ says in the cd's sleve that the tracks in the above mentioned order, slowly work up from slow ambient to fast ambient, well having the flute definitly keeps this track at the slow ambient level but the drum line borders that of a trip hop track that you just wanna groove at a lounge.
- Hypnotic Embrace: Hypnotic Embrace, starts of with a very electro-jazzy-sitar feel that works up greatly, with the strings back it up all along. But, somewhere after the a minute 40 second mark its all downhill. The drum beat that comes in just seems to have nothing to do with the first 2 minutes. The only good thing is the melodious flute playing by Hari C Deeh which works well with TJ's keyboard "hear" and there.
- Transform: Transform, takes the keyboard sampling of TJ with Balbo's tabla samples and forms a tracks that starts off great, with hopes of it leading somewhere. But, it circles aimlessly with the tabla sample unchanging and the programmed loop gettin stale soon.
- Tonik: Tonik, is great track again with the great sitar work of Verinder Kumar. This time around however, unlike track three, it seems that TJ actually spent time with this track making it a great piece of work. Definitly one for the dance floors.
- Spiritual Technology: This isn't the best way I would think to finish off an album, 'cause it simply leaves the listener wanting for more. Another awesome track done with supporting vocals of Faheem Mazhar. Were it not for a few tracks like these, this album would have received a definite lower rating. These collaborations, a definite good for TJ.
Definitly a good album cosidering his last work with Ravi Bal was only 41 minutes long. This one is shows TJ trying new things and ideas. BUY IT!! from link above.
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