Nitin Sawhney
Philtre

THE REVIEW

All those who have attempted the path of new world music in recent years, with new sounds like trip-hop and drum'n'bass that blend with the traditional music of countries and cultures, can be divided, simply, into two large groups: the "alchemists" and the "chemists". The former proceed a bit by trial and error, hoping to bring forth from these spontaneous mixtures the "philosopher's stone", but, in truth, few new Paracelsus or Cagliostro are seen around. Others, like Nitin Sawhney, act more like scientists, having a clear understanding of the result they aspire to and the elements they will put together to achieve it. However, this does not necessarily make the latter better than the former: never trust science too much; in the case of this magnificent latest work by the Indo-British artist, "Philtre", the experiment, in my view, is fully successful.

The model of world music that emerges from the album may, for some, seem a bit too calculated, but it certainly has notable evocative power and, at the same time, is highly effective, engaging, with tracks like "Dead Man" that are a marvelous synthesis of tradition and innovation.
Nitin, "Indian from London", is not an "absolute beginner". Already with his previous works like "Beyond Skin" (1999), highly recommended, and "Prophesy", he had demonstrated his qualities as a modern DJ, a musical assembler, a refined musician, so much so that today he is a well-regarded and highly sought-after composer for theater and cinema, as well as an actor. This latest work confirms his excellent skills as an unparalleled synthesizer of sounds. The "filter" (magical?) he uses performs its function perfectly, allowing only those elements that enable the perfect fusion between the music of the north and the south of the globe: from the oriental of his origins to blues, from gypsy to more urban styles like electronic.
This "precipitate", this common primarily percussive matrix, represents the glue of the album in which one can traverse and travel without pause. Of the sixteen tracks, none are the same as another, each attempts a path, an "embrace": in the aforementioned "Dead Man", blues and Indian music combine wonderfully; in other instances, the ethnic seems to prevail as in "Mausam", again "mother India", or in "Koyal", but the subtle sound of the drum machine, acting as a background, seems arranged by Del Naja of Massive Attack; "Noches En Vela" pays homage to a great European culture, the gypsy, which merges with the urban style of drum'n'bass in an irresistibly compelling piece: if someone unfortunately remains impassive, it would be advisable to proceed with a check-up.
With "Thow" and "Flipside", it is black music that takes the forefront, already a cultural synthesis in itself, a bridge between two continents. "The Scratch" is the most adrenaline-pumping piece, where traditional drums and sitar fraternize with new electronic percussion.
The pinnacle of the album, however, is "Journey", a track sung by the famous Vikter Duplaix, in the first part almost a ballad reminiscent of early Gino Vannelli, which progressively shifts, accelerating and becoming a sublime club piece.

Sawhney's music is an excellent antidote to senseless barriers, to crass racisms, to narrow-minded closures; it is utopia realized, a call to common human roots, the only ones that truly matter.
Citizens of the world, make yourselves comfortable.