| |
| Author
|
MIDIval Punditz - MIDIval Times (Six Degrees Records, March 2005)
|
soulfilter
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
72
Posted : Apr 16, 2005 02:21
|
The MIDIval Punditz have come up with their second studio album and it gives me immense pleasure to write a review for their album MIDIval Times. I consider myself lucky, and find it strange, that no one has yet reviewed this album yet!
To begin with a small introduction, the Punditz are an established name in the world music / fusion / ethno-techno scene and are a duo from Delhi, India. They are one of the more well known acts on the Asian Underground scene which boasts of big names like Talvin Singh, Karsh Kale, etc. Now for a trackwise review of the album.
1. Morning - An aptly named track, reminds me of an oldschool bollywood movie, very 60's, which had such a background music while depicting sunrise/morning/the dawn of a new day. Nice mellow start to the album.
2. Saathi ft. Ustad Sultan Khan - The Punditz collaborate with sarangi maestro Ustad Sultan Khan on this track. Melodic sarangi mixes seamlessly with electronic beats. The vocals on this track are also by Ustad Sultan Khan himself and needless to say he does a good job at it. Easy paced song, the usual DnB influence almost non-existent.
3. Raanjhan ft. Abida Parveen - The track starts off slowly with some vocal samples and the tempo picks up around the 1:30" mark with vocoder samples around 3:00". Nice synthwork on this track. The track does no justice at all to the well known voice of Abida Parveen and ends before you know it, leaving you begging for more.
4. 136 - Strange name for a track, gives you no idea what to expect. The track gives you a feeling it started where track 4 left off. Some vocal samples fill up around the 2:00" mark. Weird noises (??) around 3:15 end up in another vocal sample. A few lines from the Indian national anthem are woven into some English vocal samples talking abt London, Bombay, WTC bomb blasts, et al. The track ends with the vocals claiming "Delhi still swings" ... IMO the loosest track on the album so far.
5. Rebirth ft. Anoushka Shankar - Anoushka Shankar is one of the best sitarists around, second only to her father, Pt Ravi Shankar, and her tremendous skills are amply demonstrated throughout this track. Immensely melodic flutework around 1:40 ending in some more sitar and some electronica. The rest of the track flows smoothly with Anoushka creating magic with the sitar and the Punditz blending electronica like only they do. Big shouts out to the Punditz for creating such an emotional and melodic track.
6. Khayaal ft. Vishal Vaid - Easily the most anticipated track on the album, just for Vishal Vaid's vocals, if for nothing else. Personally I've been a big fan of Vishal Vaid ever since I've heard him on Karsh Kale's Liberation. The track certainly doesnt dissappoint and is one of the standout tracks on this album. Beautifully intelligent lyrics (Hindi) in the smooth voice of Vishal Vaid combined with a foot tapping beat and the track emerges as a real winner.
7. Piya - Pretty much a formulaic ethnotechno track with some hindi vocals, beats and percussion work. Nothing exceptional about this one.
8. Kesariya - This ones taken off the Bollywood soundtrack from Let's Enjoy for which the Punditz had provided the background score. Needless to say, this was the best track on the entire soundtrack, reason probably why it finds its way here. Richa Sharma exercises her vocal chords rather impressively and the Punditz are at their best with what they do. This is probably the fastest track on the album and sees an effective use of vocoders, appregiators, and the likes. A minor problem with the track though - its a little longer at 7:17 and tends to get repetitive and hence a little boring towards the end.
9. Ali ft Kailash Kher - Mainstream vocalist Kailash Kher joins the Punditz to create a somewhat sufi influenced track praising Allah, hence the name Ali. The vocals sometimes remind you of the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. The song has a foot tapping melody and has an aggressive bassline. Decent work overall.
10. Enemy - Nice work on the tablas, the track, however, has a very dark, eerie atmospheric feeling to it as the name might hint. When did ethnotechno start going that way? Wasnt it all about the good happy vibes so far? Uh oh .. waitup. Around 3:15" you get some Skazi type guitar riffs!!! More guitar work as the track progresses with an almost rock band type sample around the 4:30" mark. Please God, dont ever let the Punditz make such a track ever ever again!
11. Hold On (Thare Rahiyo) - This track utilises vocal samples sung by Lata Mangeshkar on the soundtrack for the 1971 Bollywood classic, Pakeezah. It probably is an attempt to make a chill/ambient track similar in vibe to Karunesh - Punjab or OTT - Smoked glass and chrome and I must say the Punditz do an excellent job with the last track on the album. Free flowing flute with tablas for company and the track achieves what it set out to do = set your mind at ease totally.
Conclusion - The Punditz once again take you on a magic carpet ride like they did on their debut album. The album is mostly on the lines of their prior releases and some tracks give you an impression that the Punditz could be closing in on a formulaic approach. The album is definitely worth a buy, though the feeling that the Punditz could have done a lot better keeps coming back.
______________________________________________
Best tracks - 5,6,8,11.
______________________________________________
Any more comments on this review are most welcome 
  Don't Worry, Stay Trippy! |
|
|
|
Jingabé
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
387
Posted : Apr 16, 2005 20:23
|
|
I liked very much their first album. It is really interesting knowing their second one is out. Where can I listen to samples and order it? Thanx... |
|
|
|
*Karma Cola*
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
113
Posts :
2314
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 02:02
|
Hey, nice review, and teh album is massive.
My fav one was the track with Anoushka shankar, and Ali.
Peace
~*** You can tell By the way i use my walk, Im a woman's man, No time to Talk***~ |
|
|
|
soulfilter
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
72
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 04:26
|
Quote:
|
On 2005-04-16 20:23, Jingabé wrote:
I liked very much their first album. It is really interesting knowing their second one is out. Where can I listen to samples and order it? Thanx...
|
|
You can listen to samples and order online from www.cdnow.com. Just search for Midival Punditz under music and you'll be set 
Don't Worry, Stay Trippy! |
|
|
|
Isak
Nemesis Divine
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
195
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 23:38
|
|
Morpheus Music
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
94
Posts :
165
Posted : Apr 19, 2005 18:30
|
|
Osho
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
129
Posts :
977
Posted : May 1, 2005 08:47
|
Very nice review,Midival Times! is amazing Indian music combined with electronic production,This is the second album from thos talented guys.
and its all i expected...
Midival Punditz music cant be described in words its so beautiful and full with emotions its like every time i put this cd on the cd player i feel like i am going into a long beautiful journey through thos sounds...
this is a very recommended album,Thx Midival Punditz for this second experience...
my favored from the album are : Saathi,Raanjhan,Rebirth,Piya,Enemy,Hold On... Progress In Music! |
|
|
|
Morpheus Music
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
94
Posts :
165
Posted : May 11, 2005 21:38
|
Here is our review of this excellent album:
STYLE
Classical and traditional Indian sounds fused with the Punditz' razor sharp programming and production. The flutes and drones on the opening track 'Morning' appear to be something of a statement of intent very much like the introduction to a Bollywood movie of past decades. Midival Times retains the Punditz' crystal clear beats, but the drum and bass emphasis of the debut album have softened somewhat. Electronica, vocoders and appregiators blend beautifully with tablas, saarangi, flutes and various voices. There are more recorded 'performances' here on this album too - with vocalists such as Ustad Sultan Khan, Vishal Vaid and some masterful sitar work by Anoushka Shankar (daughter of Ravi Shankar). The duo recently worked on a Bollywood soundtrack entitled 'Let's Enjoy' and this project seems to have had more than a passing influence on the current sound - indeed track 8 on Midival Times 'Kesariya' is taken from that project.
MOOD
Modern aesthetic meets traditional class; East meets West with a shared vision and in a chilled mood. Midival Times is an uncluttered pulling together of pieces that are driving and dance floor oriented one minute and calmly meditative the next. The use of vocal and instrumental performances alongside sampled sounds enriches the Punditz' colourful sonic palette, whilst the expert programming establishes a lucidity, a simplicity or a sense of the dramatic as required.
ARTWORK
A tangerine glow suffuses the whole package with a transcendent warmth. Tapan and Gaurav pose for the camera on the front cover against the circuitry and architecture of a beaming corridor of arches. The twin panels of the digipack unfold to reveal a track listing that includes the various performers, samples and publishing details. Thanks and 'a big shout' to all those involved or otherwise appreciated covers one inside panel and a simple track list with times fill the back.
OVERALL
The artists have said that they desire to widen out both Western appreciation for Asian music and Asian Appreciation for Western music - this album certainly should do that - I can imagine this CD selling just as well to the Hindi film market as it will among chill-out and club lovers. Gaurav Raina and Tapan Raj have created a softer album than their debut, with Indian roots more fully explored. Where previously they sounded like a d'n'b combo weaving waves and samples among their electronic structures, now they sound more complete, with Indian elements as deeply employed as the synths and grooves themselves. Samples are still deftly applied such as on Hold On (Thaarey Rahiyo) where vocal samples of Lata Mangeshkar taken from soundtrack to Bollywood classic Pakeezah.
WHO WILL LIKE THIS ALBUM
If you enjoyed the lighter side of the first album and would appreciate a stronger Indian flavour with less drum and bass Midival Times should suit. This album will probably draw new converts though from Bollywood theme enthusiasts and ethno-techno fans. The Punditz are well liked in chill-out circles and will not disappoint anyone looking for a bit of top class Indian electronica.
Also - should anyone be interested, we're beginning to add sounds to some of our reviews at Morpheus so you can listen and read at the same time.
Cheers
Paul
MORPHEUS MUSIC
www.morpheusmusic.co.uk
ELECTRONIC MUSIC MALL
http://www.electronicmusicmall.com |
|
|
|
Meta-Morphosis
IsraTrance Senior Member
Started Topics :
216
Posts :
4980
Posted : May 13, 2005 18:29
|
|
yes the review is killer and the scene is set for midival punditZ
“What we need is the development of the Inner Spiritual man, the unique individual, whose treasure is hidden in the symbols of our mythological tradition and in man’s unconscious psych.” - CJ Jung |
|
|
|
djsoma
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
99
Posted : May 13, 2005 22:35
|
Well... I just feel that this is supercool music for anyone capable of receiving it. I love the variety in tracks and everything that other people have complained about Don't be too quick to make judgements...
Big Love to the Punditz!!! And to the Six Degrees... 3 extremely strong releases (this, Niyaz and Cheb I Sabbah's "La Kahena") in one month is really something!!! You are the best in what you do!
http://musicandhappylife.blogspot.com/
djsoma@gmail.com |
|
|
|
djsoma
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
99
Posted : May 13, 2005 22:36
|
Hehe.... so funny that soulfilter finds it strange that nobody reviewed this before him... he wrote the review on 16. April and the album was released on 19. April... maybe that's the reason
http://musicandhappylife.blogspot.com/
djsoma@gmail.com |
|
|
|
psychotic_neuroscientist
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
35
Posts :
422
Posted : Jun 22, 2005 11:53
|
i even love the track kalyug...which is audialize v/s midival Punditz............its killer..........! 
No... no more scientists, no more laboratories, no more experiments, I thought you`d be able to understand that. No more! |
|
|
|
|
|
