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Rating: Cultural preface: the soul of India since gaining independence is divided between two currents. On one side, it is tied to traditions of ancient religions and philosophies, which are (in my opinion) the true wealth of the country and, as some say, will never die. On the other, Western "civilization" is pulling it towards a sometimes forceful modernization, very strong in the cities. Two different forces. Push and Pull. Who better than our two could represent them? On one side, Padan Das Baul, a Baul singer who has decided to offer the music of his people for more modern use (Baul singers are men and women, often with immense vocal abilities, who wander without possessions, dancing and singing spontaneously and freely in groups, achieving liberation, Nirvana, through this practice). On the other, State of Bengal, a significant name in underground electronics in Asian territory. In short, the two are capable and the genres are distant enough for their fusion to become something exceptional. But the risk is high and the cover, which seems to come from the most flashy Bollywood studio, does not bode well.
At least the first part seems clear to the two of them, and right from the start with "Moner Manush", it's clear they're serious. But the entire album, at least for a Western listener, is a continuous succession of positive surprises. State of Bengal brings clear experience into play and shows it in the high quality of the beats, the complexity of the song structures, and the variety of electronic elements. The voice of Padan Das Baul is exceptional on the other hand, both for the difficulty of the vocals he performs and for the warm and (to us) exotic timbre. What is most striking is how the two collaborate in an extremely positive and open way. The singer neither holds back nor feels uncomfortable on extremely modern bases, and State of Bengal seems especially well-versed in traditional Indian music, utilizing all the possibilities of electronics to serve it, creating rhythms with a modern feel that perfectly pair with the drum beats of the singer, and using perfect sounds to accompany the latter’s work. But the surprises do not end here, as it is not only the variety of sounds (electronic bass, sitar, acoustic guitar, synth, and of course various effects) but also the scales and harmonic solutions used that astonish. More than once, familiar harmonizations can be heard even to us Westerners, and sometimes a nod is given even to blues concepts (as in the superb "Ram Rahim"). Unfortunately, I cannot speak about the lyrics since Indian is completely incomprehensible to me. This does not detract from the emotion experienced in peaks of quality such as, besides the aforementioned tracks, "Padma Nodi". The only real flaw that prevents the album from being a masterpiece is the excessive length of some tracks, sometimes stretched a bit too much and forcedly.
Tana Tani, in my opinion, is part of an important trend not only on a musical level, as it symbolizes for India a cultural solution where the best of the two trends present coexist, resulting in something enjoyable just like the sounds contained in this work. I recommend giving the album much more than one listen and approaching it with an open mind because at first impact it can be difficult due to the sounds being so new for those (like me) who are not accustomed to the music of the land of the rising sun.
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