.com Just what is meant by "cultural piracy"? The term gets thrown around when Paul Simon makes an album of African-derived music, or David Byrne tries his hand at Latin rhythms. More recently the imperialist charge has been levelled at the practice of appropriating nonwestern traditional music into western club beats, a genre known variously as trance, world dance, ethno-techno, or global ambient, and represented by the globetrotting grab-bag sounds of groups like Trans-Global Underground, Banco de Gaia, and the leaders of the stew school, London's Loop Guru. In their hands, techno and nonwestern styles are natural bedfellows. Both unfold along a fluid, linear path that put them at odds with western pop's verse-chorus infatuation. And sociologically speaking, the ecstatic release of the dancefloor has tons in common with the spiritual exorcism in mystic folk from Bali, Java, India, Iran, or Morocco--just some of the places represented on Loop Guru's second album, Amrita. In fact, the only impediment to ethno-techno's beautiful marriage is how well producers turn the music's cultural dislocation into postmodern enlightenment. Loop Guru, meticulous studio crafters and enthusiastic live performers, fare well in the middle passage. They do it not as looters, nor as teachers (Amrita's samples and appropriations are never credited), but with the simple (and best) justification--it sounds good. --Roni Sarig
Y**M
great,great,great!
Even though most people who know and like Loop Guru prefer their album Dunjia, I think in the long run and after listening to both albums for years now Amrita offers more versatility. It might be less danceable and instantly accessible than Dunjia and it seems more translucent and fragmented but you never get tired of it because the melodies dont wear out but actually make more and more sense. Phenomenal album. It can happen that you hear a song somewhere and you're like :"wow who's that band? Sounds familiar. I hope I have it." and when you find out its Loop you are actually relieved to know them already and havent let a great band like that slip by.
A**L
super sounds
i haven't heard any of Loop Guru's other stuff but this blew me away. it's an excellent cd if your looking for soothing, exotic and fresh sounds. it was made in 96' but it's very "now". timeless would be a better description. the more i listen to it, the better it gets - i notice something new with each listen. wonderful, beautiful cd, a must buy.
B**U
A brilliant, flawless album.
A lot of electronic/cross-cultural music that I have listened to is catchy and simple enough that it has motivated me to try my hand at it. This album, however, is so good that I realize there is a level I will never achieve. I have owned it for a year now and never get tired of a single track. The best tracks are "Diwana," "Often Again," and "Epic Song."
Trustpilot
4 days ago
2 months ago
