Search - Adham Shaikh :: Collectivity

Little terrain exists that Shaikh has not canvassed. These 10 songs, ranging 6-8 minutes in length (actually shorter than previous works), emit a similar pattern. They build a basic foundation of bass and drums, most often mid-tempo with a few housier tracks, and then weave a rich carpet of instrumentation: thick, penetrating and spacious. On the opening "Bellydancer" these include a gorgeous zither section alongside winding flutes and a ska-based synthesizer; on "Peace in the Middle East," a host of Turkish percussion and a romping didgeridoo, while a tech-heavy synth follows; with "Beyond I," a dumbek and heartbreaking female vocals (along the lines of Sussan Deyheim and Azam Ali).