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Rating: It's curious how an online shopping "incident" rekindled my passion for Indian music. I wander on iTunes, in the world music section, and, listening here and there, I decide to purchase some pieces with the intention of spending a rainy evening in complete new age relaxation.
My gaze lands on an anthology of traditional Indian music; I listen to some samples and decide to buy only one or two tracks but, alas, absentmindedly I fatally click the "buy album" button and end up paying 39 euros for the anthology (double CD 79 euros): my compulsive musical shopping spree seems quite finished. I begin to listen to my involuntary and expensive purchase and as time goes by, between ecstasy and enjoyment and a certain relief, I realize I had forgotten Indian music for too long, which I had appreciated in the distant past, thanks to Maestro Ravi Shankar, who I believe needs no introduction, especially for the Beatles fans. In the last two decades, thanks to the spread of world music and a myriad of new age melodies, contaminated by electronics and chillout, pop, rock, and black music. This collection, however, is not the case, as it includes melodies, the raga, which are part of the purely classical and traditional Indian repertoire, whose roots are to be found in the North of this vast nation.
One immediately thinks of the sitar when speaking of Indian music, of which it is the instrument par excellence and absolute star, without forgetting their typical drum, the tabla, and contrary to the music of the southern part of India, of carnatic origin, which emphasizes the vocal part, in the music of the North of hindustani origin, the instrumental part is preferred; however, it does not seem to be a dogmatic rule as this anthology includes melodies and sounds of very ancient origin, performed by warm and tuneful male and female voices, sublimated by the absolute transcendental magnetism of the sitar. The primal beat of the tabla punctuates the rhythm of each raga, suddenly varying it from slow and imposing to agile and convulsive. In the stylistic setting of each piece, the Arab influence is clearly captured, a result of 8 centuries of domination, voices are heard that are articulated in chants that seem of love, some, of war others, perhaps of daily life, prayers, voices that appear almost passionate and carnal, sometimes lazy and delicate, exalted by the sublime contortions of the sitar, permeated with captivating spirituality.
These sounds are best appreciated and assimilated in blissful solitude, to reclaim oneself and free from daily stress, perhaps while sipping a good black tea in some smoky place scented with incense (in the absence of anything better, one's own living room). And then close your eyes, imagine yourself in front of smiling dancers with scarlet lips and heavily kohled eyes, wide open, with dark irises rotating in all directions, as they captivate our mind and, why not, even our heart, with their charming mimicry.
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