If you’re not familiar with L. Shankar’s music -- a mesmerizing East-meets-West blur of Indian classical and rock, pop, jazz and electronic influences -- Full Moon is the perfect place to start. The man has nearly 30 albums to his credit and a body of work that includes several film soundtracks dating back to 1988 (from the The Last Temptation of Christ to Fear the Walking Dead). There's also a long list of collaborators -- names like Peter Gabriel, Bruce Springsteen, Chester Thompson, Frank Zappa, Phil Collins, Madonna and Korn’s Jonathan Davis.
Shankar’s specialty is the 10-string double violin, and he also plays keys and performs chant-like vocals on this mostly instrumental album. He’s backed by Abhijit Banerjee on tabla, who emerges as a key musical figure in these eight songs. Full Moon emphasizes Shankar's Eastern influences more than some of his other releases, and it opens with “Darlene’s Wish,” an upbeat song that stuns with its melodies, arrangements and overall aesthetic.
Two multi-part pieces comprise most of the album. The three-part, 31-minute “Aberi Dance” is structured like a raga-based improvisation, with each part representing a phase of the lunar cycle. It’s a haunting and ethereal listening experience, punctuated by Shankar’s vocals and Banerjee’s intense performance. Meanwhile, the 14-and-a-half-minute “Around the Corner” unfolds in two parts, highlighted once again by Banerjee’s intricate percussion display.
Spend some time with this record, and before long you’ll want to seek out Shankar’s other recordings. A whole new world awaits.
Track Listing
1. Darlene’s Wish
2. Dancing Beauty
3. Aberi Fantasy Pt. I
4. Aberi Fantasy Pt. II
5. Aberi Fantasy Pt. III
6. Around the Corner Pt. I
7. Around the Corner Pt. II
8. Darlene’s Wish (Radio Edit)
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