MIXTUS ORBIS

This is an Indo-Raga recording by France's own Andre Fertier. Andre plays Grand piano, acoustic guitar, synths and adds vocals. I count 12 individual musicians/vocalists plus an orchestra and a choir. Lots of ethnic sounds with the tablas, santoor, kemonche and other percussions. Man this is such a stew of sounds and the blending of styles. We get sax, flute, bass, cello, violin, drums and oboe besides the ones I've already mentioned. This is almost impossible for me to describe because of the ethnic instruments and not knowing what I'm hearing with so much going on.

The title track is almost 15 minutes long and divided into six parts as they all blend into each other. It gets pretty crazy by the fourth part where it sounds like the sax and orchestration are trading off and even more insane on the next section and ends hard on part six. This needs to be heard to be believed.

"Eudjal" is pretty cool with the flute over all those beats then some orchestration and vocals too. Nice bass as well. Sounds like "Shaft" before 2 minutes. Next we get a three part piece with violin and acoustic guitar starting us off then flute before an ethnic instrument making bass like sounds arrives. The tempo picks up on the next section as violin plays over top. Flute replaces violin as the lead on the last part. It ends in a very ethnic way with "Youssoufia" as deep male vocals join in and atmosphere. Flute and percussions too. Very cool sounding. Is that oboe before 2 minutes? Check out all the sounds here.

Just a great album to listen too, as in a feast for the ears. So impressed.