Street Music from India

VOICES FOR HUMANS, ANCESTORS AND GODS (Topic)

In 1996 the British Library Sound Project assigned Rolf Killius to journey through India to record street music that is regionally popular, though relatively unknown beyond the continent. A decade and 400 hours later and the label somehow chopped it down to 13 rough, raw and gorgeous songs. This CD is truly a gem, breaking outside the three most popular exports of Indian music: the Hindustani and Carnatic tradtions; Bollywood’s global rule; and the ritual chants of bhakti yoga (not to mention the Asian Massive and Underground electronica). The call-and-response “Chenchu Lakshmi,” a tale of love lost and suicide, opens brilliantly. Performed by musicians of the Daasari community in the southeastern region of Andrha Pradesh, the tinny clicks of symbols and grating vocals prove penetratingly lucid. Many of these songs follow similar format – sudden breaks with lyrical interludes, tempo and tonal changes out of seeming nowhere. This is an emotional music, guided not by structure as much as feeling, which builds a solid foundation. The remainder of the folk material covers funeral songs, tales of naming babies and earthly creation, and stunning numbers from the Odissi and Orissa traditions, like the harmonium-led bhajan “Loda mo na thila golaka.” A dedication to Vishnu, the repetitious lyrics remind listeners “I only want your blessings, nothing else.” In the philosophy of Vedic and Hindu culture, the individual is but a part of a whole in which no separation between subject and object exists. Hence when they sing for each other, they sing for the entire planet. Thanks to Killius’s sturdy ear and own devotion, this elegant and rich album is reaching the intended audience.