Desert Dwellers - Night Visions Review

Artist: Desert Dwellers

Title: Night Visions

Label: Black Swan Sounds

Released: 29^th October 2013

Night Visions is a selection of re-mixes by the Desert Dwellers. This selection contains familiar and unfamiliar artists to me drawing from the western slant of world/dub/bass fusion and the world music scene.

My attention is really caught by the second track a re-mix of Earthrise Sound Systems ‘Makyen Ghrir Allah’ I must confess I don’t know too much about Earthrise Sound System except they are another Yoga inspired act and label mate of the Desert Dwellers.  Someone I’d marked as must explore deeper a while back after watching this video ...



Anyway, back to the review in question … this track is a wonderful combination of lush ambient sequences and deep speaker shaking low frequency bass and features a lovely North African male vocal.

The next track is a re-mix of Australia’s psy-bass aficionado Kalya Scintilla. The vocal switches to a female this time. While the music is a melting pot of glitchy wobbles, fx sequences and continues to maintain the trend of appeal I have begun to find consistent with the Desert Dwellers. Moving forward to the re-mix of Girish’s ode to the Hindu goddess of art, music and science ‘Saraswati’ and I have to say I love this one. Beginning with gentle acoustics and vocals the sequenced layers are slowly introduced utilising the reverb perfectly. Proper chillout!

Next up is a re-mix of the Kaya Projects ‘Ghasi Ram Blues’ and the track is aptly named, beginning with Seb’s blue’s guitar before a lovely bassline is introduced the term ‘this chugs along nicely’ springs to mind. No need to worry though it’s not one of those re-mixes where someone just adds a fresh beat. There are plenty of well constructed blues filled bridges. This is followed by Adham Shaikh’s ‘Desert Dub’ a great track it’s own right in my humble opinion. This version is perhaps a little more laid back exploring different avenues of where the dub fx are utilised and a nice alternative to boot.

Other artists include Deva Premal, Jai Uttel and finishes with the track that really turned me onto the Desert Dwellers music … The Laya Projects ‘Sunset in Akkarai’ wonderful stuff.

Review by Woodzee

Links

http://www.blackswansounds.com/night-visions-desert-dwellers-selected-remixes.html

http://desertdwellers.org/

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