There Shall Be Love by Fun Da Mental

Review:

The very vocal, very out spoken, very political - artists of such albums as Why America will go to hell? and Errotic Terrorism released this album about a year and half ago. To most of the avid listeners of AV this will be old news but, having recently found out that their main star, Aki Nawaz is coming to NYC for a Mutiny I decided to revisit this album and this time around review it. It has been sitting with me for a year now and I just assumed that most AV's visitors would not enjoy this album because of the paucity of electronic sounds. Sorry to have accused you all of a callow point of view - especially if you have enjoyed or do end up enjoying this album.

More about this Artist

Tracks / Reviews:

1. Last Gospel: Starts off sounding like an african chant - however quickly switches over to qwaali with a thumping drum line.
   
2. Fire Water: Initially sounds as if its a drum n base song done with folk drums. Slowly, beautifully brings in the african vocals with tabla and the ever popular bhangra 'hoy' thrown. Truly the world represented musically.
3. Sunday School: Another African (I think?) folk track with heavy drums ands beats added. Kind of gets stale because of the vocals remaining practically unchanged.
4. Pollution: Qwaali in its truest form. This is the classic Nusrat Fateh Ali-esque track done with a beautifully simple drum line.
5. Wandering Soul: Beautiful flute melody melded with a drum line that is very typical of Aki's crew - combined with vocals very reminiscent of a south asian folk song and (what sounds like) an electric guitar line - nostalgically faboulous.
   
6. Spy- Cat: Another Nusrateque track sung by Muazzam Khan with a heavy drum line. If qwaali is your cup of chai then this song is made for you..
7. More Than A Hundred Times: Spoken word combined with African vocals and hunting sound effects that give this track a very errie quality.
8. There Shall Be Love: A heavy beat driven track combined with south asian vocals, chanting and some 404's and trumpets to top it off. Very, very cool. Just wish the vocals didn't reach such a high volumes as compared to the rest of the music.
   
9. Tagai Soul: Drums beating, high hats hitting, bells ringing and what comes through after? Why african vocals of course. This song has a very raw - intense folky energy that transforms into almost a great dance beat. Definitely going on the radio.
10. All Seeing Heart: This one has a very strong south asian classical feel. Flutes, tabla, sitar riffs, violins, (I think) veena and of course chanting vocals; thus, the whole nine yards.
    
11. Human Waves: Spoken word - vocoded.

With some of the best world fusion combining elements from South Asia, Africa, Middle East and the the West - there is something here for everyone; just don't expect to dance too much.