Anokha – Soundz of the Asian Underground

Anokha – Soundz of the Asian Underground is a compilation album.

Anokha – Soundz of the Asian Underground
Compilation album by
Talvin Singh
Released17 June 1997
Recorded1997
GenreElectronica, Indian music[1]
Length71:49
LabelPolygram
ProducerTalvin Singh
Talvin Singh chronology
Anokha – Soundz of the Asian Underground
(1997)		 OK
(1998)

Background

This 1997 album arose from the Anokha music club night, formed by its host Talvin Singh and Sweety Kapoor, with music producer/DJ State of Bengal a.k.a. Zam Zaman. Anokha held weekly sessions at the legendary Blue Note venue at Hoxton Square in London's East End. The album was marketed by Mango Records, a division of Island Records. Those music sessions and this compilation helped to promote the rise of the Asian Underground movement.

The compilation was signed via Anokha's imprint label Omni Records to Island Records and led to major label deals for Talvin Singh, State of Bengal and Amar.

Critical reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]
Entertainment WeeklyB+[3]
The Guardian[4]
Muzik9/10[5]
Rolling Stone[6]
Spin8/10[7]
The Village VoiceC+[8]

Reviewing for The Village Voice in December 1997, Robert Christgau appraised the album negatively: "With zip to do with bhangra, and no commitment to drum 'n' bass, here's a travelogue designed to remind us that tabla players (presenter Talvin Singh, for instance!) have been hand-producing something like breakbeats for years. Not exactly like breakbeats, though. Anyway, who buys records solely for breakbeats? (Wait, I don't want to know.)"[8] AllMusic's John Bush was more enthusiastic, deeming it "a startlingly natural-sounding fusion of Indian music and instruments with drum'n'bass, breakbeats and electronics, unlike other worldbeat-influenced electronic recordings which feature an abundance of styles but rarely approach true fusion." Bush highlighted Singh and State of Bengal's songs, as well as "K-Ascendant" by Kingsuk Biswas.[2]

Track listing
No.TitleArtistLength
1."Jaan"Talvin Singh06:02
2."Flight IC408"State of Bengal07:21
3."Kizmet"Lelonek05:16
4."Shang High"Future Soundz of India05:52
5."Chittagong Chill"State of Bengal08:25
6."Mumbai Theme Tune"A. R. Rahman05:15
7."Distant God"Talvin Singh06:17
8."Heavy Intro"Amar03:08
9."Equation"Equal I05:59
10."Spiritual Masterkey"Osmani Soundz05:14
11."Accepting Trankuility"Milky Bar Kid08:39
12."K-Ascendant"Kingsuk Biswas04:32
Total length:71:49

References
  1. Ford, Richard T. (2009). Racial Culture: A Critique. Princeton University Press. p. 160. ISBN 1400826306. In the 1990s London's 'electronica' style met traditional Indian musical styles in, for example, Talvin Singh's aptly titled Soundz of the Asian Underground (the spelling of 'soundz' itself a nod to African-American hip-hop slang).
  2. Bush, John. "Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground – Talvin Singh". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 February 2020.
  3. Woodard, Josef (27 June 1997). "Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  4. Hoyland, Luke (28 February 1997). "Talvin Singh Presents: Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground". The Guardian.
  5. Howe, Rupert (March 1997). "Various Artists: Anokha – Soundz of the Asian Underground (Mango)". Muzik. No. 22. p. 104.
  6. Fletcher, Tony (26 June 1997). "Talvin Singh Presents: Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground". Rolling Stone. p. 57.
  7. Hermes, Will (July 1997). "Talvin Singh Presents: Anokha: Soundz of the Asian Underground". Spin. Vol. 13 no. 4. pp. 114–16. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  8. Christgau, Robert (2 December 1997). "Consumer Guide: Turkey Shoot". The Village Voice. Retrieved 26 February 2020.


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