ATMA
Asian Arts, 2023
8/10
The British-Asian artist Roopa Panesar births a much needed album for these troubled times, where themes of peace and love are present across the western ideas, traditional Indian instruments and electronic moments.
“Journey Home” opens the listen with Panesar’s very meticulous sitar prowess front and center alongside playful drumming sounds from Pirashanna Thevarajah that are quite interesting, and it isn’t long until the precisely textured “Hey Shyam” welcomes Giuliano Modarelli on guitar and Kaviraj Singh Dhadyalla on Santoor for the uniquely rhythmic landscape.
In the middle, “Awakening” places Surdarshan Singh Chana on jori and Shahbaz Hussain on tabla, as they complement Panesar’s sitar prowess, and “Immersed” spotlights Ben Hazleton’s double bass skills for the album’s best piece. “Farewell My Love” exits the listen, and it embraces Modarelli’s guitar for the heartfelt and exploratory finish that allows the sitar to mesmerize us.
A highly diverse and worldly affair, Panesar and company make for a rich listening experience that truly explores the depths of Indian music in an enlightening and exciting fashion.
Travels well with: Esbe- I Might Be Dreaming; Deepak Pandit/Pratibha Singh Baghel- Inheritance