Wayfinder
Self-Released, 2020
8/10
Mohamed Assani is a composer, esteemed sitarist and educator, and with Wayfinder the artist uses sitar, tabla, mridangam, kanjira, mbira, voice and electronic sounds to extract bits of Indian/Pakistani Classical, Middle Eastern music, jazz, funk, Western harmony, ambient and electronic music in both highly innovative acoustic and electric fashions.
“Awakening” starts the affair with much atmosphere and mood as carefully delivered sitar flows alongside a hypnotic backdrop that hints at New Age, and “Serendipity” continues the cultured setting with a much more percussive approach as Western influences find their way into the sweeping, jazz friendly arrangement.
Even though there’s just 7 tracks, more than half are longer than 9 minutes and take us on exciting journeys, including the cautious and mysterious “Khusro’s Footsteps” that builds into a soundtrack to a night at the club, while the soothing appeal of “Lullaby For Guli”, where sublime strings enter the pretty landscape that even recruits R&B ideas, is one of the most introspective moments.
The album exits with the best track, the very modern and stylish “Transit”, where a swift pop appeal and spirited electronica angle enters the playful climate that just might require dancing shoes.
A fascinating listen that colors outside of the lines of what anyone might expect, Assani is capable of assembling nearly frantic tunes just as he is bare and wispy, as Wayfinder is nothing but surprises that you’ll want to revisit again and again.