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Kumba Mela Experiment - East Of The River Ganges


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Kumba Mela Experiment - East Of The River Ganges

 

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Artist: Kumba Mela Experiment

Title: East Of The River Ganges

Label: Liquid Sound Design

Date: 2001

 

Track listing:

 

01. 12'35" East Of The River Ganges (Mango In My Flute Mix)

02. 10'15" Elephant Trax (Hammer To The Nail Dub)

03. 10'58" Cleaning Fluid (Druids, Dreads And Sadhus Mix)

04. 03'53" Spiritual Journey (Mothers Milk Edit)

05. 07'54" The Kumba Mela (Himalayan Dub)

06. 05'20" Life After Death (Glass Key Dub)

07. 04'22" That Which I Could Only Sense (Phoenix Dub)

08. 07'04" Interstellar Hiss (Sky Is On Fire Dub)

09. 04'04" Be Conscious (Om Namai And Shiveye Mix)

10. 00'29" Outro (Don't WantTo Loose Your Love Dub Edit)

 

Review:

 

It's been a really good year for those of us who like quality chill - we've

had the new Shpongle, Ooze, Mana Medicine, Nada Masala 2, Makyo's Yakshini

and all sorts of other gems. This latest L.S.D release is no exception. In

fact I think it is in contention for the top spot. Admittedly, Tales of the

Inexpressible is music in another dimension, but for those who don't share

the popular favourite then this might be what you've been waiting for. I

personally love Shpongle's sound, so this is where comparisons stop and I'll

get on with the review.

This is a hugely creative album. There are a lot of people involved, but

Youth is the common thread to all tracks. He's brought along friends from

the Orb, Tangerine Dream, Suns of Arqa, Dreadzone and others. Lots of live

instruments throughout plus a couple of appropriate vocals. This album keeps

an experimental edge without disappearing into the land of the totally

obscure. Uri Geller even makes an appearance. The album was conceived during

the Kumba Mela - the worlds largest religious gathering which took place in

India ... on the Ganges of course. Apparently internet connection was made,

as well as a psychic one from Uri in order to experience the festival from

afar. Essentially this sounds as if it was one of the craziest jam sessions

one could imagine ... and after six months of tweaking in the Butterfly

Studios this is the result.

Every moment of this production is intricate and beautifully produced -

there's never a 'filler moment' let alone a filler track. I caution anyone

who doesn't like 1) Indian influenced music 2) Roots/dub 3) Trippy trippy

samples ... that you won't like this either ! However if you like to take

the journey - you like the dub trees/celtic cross albums or you just want to

try something new then this is the one to get. I don't want to go into too

much detail about the tracks - this review will get ridiculously long - but

I really want to get across the splendour of this release as a whole.

Briefly, track by track : 1) deep, mystical, eastern influenced, 2) funky,

energetic & building, 3) dub & roots, blissed & tasting of Orb,4) check the

Henry of Rawlinson sample probably the most amusing tune I've ever heard! 5)

deep dub, full power dub trees style... oooooh!, 6) bit darker & slightly

spooky - breaks & electro beats ..., 7) Indian & dub ...warm & psychedelic

at the same time... total bliss !,8) crazy sample, big tough beats & trippy

high frequency bits, 9) dub & roots style - sit back and sway ...,10)

goodbye from Terence.

I really love this album, and it's revealing more to me on each return. So

many influences, so many artistic talents and yet one consistent vision.

And not bent spoon in sight !

9/10

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Guest djr00t[at]hotmail[dot]com

I think this is one of the most chillest chillout i heard... spongle is best

but after that i liked this track. and it kinda reminds me of when I used to

go to Kumbh Mela when i was back home in india. That used to be one of the

greatest open party of all time even though it was religious gatharing. I miss

Bharat. any ways this cd is great. nice chill out.

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Guest [Anonymous]

It's professional, but I expected something really BRILLIANT from The Orb,

Youth etc. It's just too standard.

also the voice/MC samples are pretty annoying.

7/10

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Guest Slidingtrancer

I just bought this and my first impression is brilliant dub, evolving sounds

echo pure emotions. I'm gonna go more in-depth when I will really listen to

all trax and review this. My first impression is: Get this sucker, you can't

go wrong. Magical icycles down my spine when the first song started. Thank you

saddhus :D

9/10... a 10 is for the Gods and Shpongle

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Youth carried out a wonderful work with this "album"... I had already been

smashed out by his other project "Dub Trees - Nature Never did betray tra la

la......." But here we have even more citars, Orient-influenced sounds and

melodies.... To sum up, an invitation to Voyaaaaage..... mmm, nice !

 

Okay, big up to U, See Ya

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  • 1 month later...
Guest lifeform

Hmmm. This is a good cd, but it's not great. I find it kinda boring and all

the vocal samples of people talking get in the way. I prefer the dub trees cd

to this. 6/10

And this can't touch shpongle... no way.

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Guest the loyal sage

the sitars or whatever that indian sounding insturment is sold it to me.

Afterwards when i got home i listened to the whole thing and i find it pretty

lousy. I'd like this CD if there were not so many people constently talking

about random stuff. Maybe it's better if your on drugs, but i find the talking

to be a little too much. The regge style samples are also not my style, i was

hoping to hear a more indian sounding CD. This CD should be called East of the

Country Jamacia. The only good track is #6 all others would be fantastic if i

could only remove the talking the BOOM and bruce lee sounding WHAAAH! sounds

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Guest Beach Bum

good album, but as noted previously. where is benares? there are no indo

-gangetic sounds here.. what is it with all the western producers of the

world.. they think indian classical means table, flute and a hint of sitar...

i would say the music is good, but it should have had a different title... for

example, himalayan dub (i expected this to be in a similar vein as moty

kailash songs, but this one does not raise any such sounds...

that aside, this is a cool chill-out album, the first track is the strongest

and definitely kicks some serious ass... the rest is also very listenable.. i

would recommend it as a purchase but do not expect it to be indo heartland

music, if thats what your into listen to some ravi shankar, chaurasiya, ustad

zakir hussain etc (all hindustani classical) ...

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest dl12345[at]anaustralian[dot]com

This recording is a the result of a merging of musical influences and held

together by a common thread of asian and dub elements. "east of the river

ganges"...is, after all..heading towards the carribean! Neverthless it is a

fusion album which is heavily electronic with an organic sound..a little like

KLF meets Loop Guru and Jam & Spoon

It is funky, danceable and yet meditative. I like it..it isn't the best thing

in my collection and it is difficult to categorise..having said that I can

always sell it in a few years time when and if I tire of it!!

Then again it could become a classic..hopefully not like aphex twin stuff gets

the nod...principally because it is weird.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...
Guest funkedelifusion

words are not enough to express this release!great stuff from liquid sound

design!!everyone who likes quality chilly-dubby tracks must have this cd!

peace!9/10

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Guest encarta

east of the river ganges would take you to china or tibet if you stretch your

geographical limits... to get to the carribean would take you west of the

river... that is why we call people from asia eastern and europeans western..

comprende?

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  • 1 month later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Guest fukka[at]hotmail.com [dot]au

I love the cover..great to slice some ice..you get da drift..i

luv the trip..take me easterly..floating down da ganges..dead or alife

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  • 4 years later...

East of the River Ganges.

I didn't really like it at first. (Not really surprising with me.) But over the years I have come to like it more and more. It's such a journey, such a trip! Very beautiful sounds layered on top of really trippy sounds which seem different every time I listen to this.

A quality release from Liquid Sound Design again. I'd love to see more conceptual pieces like this.

If you haven't already heard this give it a try. If you already have, give it another go :D

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  • 3 weeks later...

yep this was (and still is) one of the finest chill out CDs I own. And the track Life After Death... oh... my... God... it still brings shivers down my spine when I listen to it. 9/10

586674[/snapback]

I agree with u guys, just one thing that has bugged me a bit about this album is that a many of the tracks has been released on VA's, but still if u look isolated at the album it brings me happieness ;)

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  • 2 years later...

Got this one today..

 

I really want to love it, but I just really can't - to the fullest that is.

 

The MC / Reggea / Carribean samples are absolutely horrible, and they destroy every track they're on.

 

Tracks 1(even though it's ruined at the end) 5 (this one is REALLY good) ,6 and 8 are really good, the rest are not even OK. :ph34r:

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  • 4 months later...

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