Kuon Ganjo by Karmix
- Neon
- Sabhyata
- Trip planet
- Kuon Ganjo
- Jhuti Muti
- Voyager
- Barkani
- Jina Jina
- Allala
- Khalouni
- A Llil
- Assalam
Review:
Claude Challe of Buddha Bar fame has joined artists like Aki Nawaz and set up a new brand on his record label Chall'O Music called: the best of fusion "The Global Beats Collection". (For those out there that already know this - I apologize) The first group of artists, for me at least, from this brand to add to our diasporic sound/movement, are Karmix.
Karmix is a decently done version of exactly what the pop version of Asian Massive/Underground might sound like. With heavy house beats, scratching djs, twanging sitar-guitars, middle-eastern drums and guitars, echoing Arabic and South Asian vocals, electronic 404ish effects, it's obviously a fusion of sounds. Yet it somehow lacks that melding of ethnicities and cultures that we have grown so accustomed to.
Save the dj scratching and 404 effects this album can sound like a Bollywood CD or that of an Arabic Rai singer. Of course neither of these are bad things - if that’s what you are looking for. But, from a man with a background like Claude you would have expected something earth shattering not something so arrogant that it steals beats (track 4 - is same as a Natcha Atlas track called Yalla Chant), adds a unnecessary sitar-guitar melody in track 8 and does very little new overall.
Although respect must be paid where it's due. As a whole the album does give us tracks that are noteworthy. Tracks that one can lounge and relax to and, tracks that one can dance to. My personal favorite being Track 11 - which just takes the listener apart and forces you to dance.
So my suggestion, get over the flaws that the album has and enjoy it for what it is - a decent pop rendition of the Asian Massive/Underground. Of course, if you are like me, and can't do that - then leave it lost in the jungle that is world beat/asia, how Virgin Megastore had it filed.
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