Bombay Beatz - EP

Album Review

There is no longer anything particularly unusual about blending breakbeats with bhangra and other South Asian musical styles, but David Starfire (born David Wayne Prampin) brings a unique perspective to the practice. For one thing, he has a better sense than some of his colleagues of what to leave out: what makes a groove funky is not the beats that are there, but rather the ones that aren't, and Starfire's arrangements reflect an admirable understanding of that fact. Notice how "Indian Fever" keeps the focus on the sitar and tabla, using the added rhythm track as an accompaniment rather than vice-versa, and also notice how the rapped vocals (by Stress Tab) on "Sucka Free" are treated as an equal but not dominant element in the song's mix. The bhangra-flavored title track achieves its darkly compelling mood by focusing mainly on the bassline and vocals, except when the vocals are displaced by an eerily whining sarangi. "Shaddi" is busier and denser, and not quite as effective; "Dust" is quick and jittery, but maintains the listener's interest with dubwise echoes and wide-open spaces that keep it from feeling claustrophobic or overly busy. This is a very promising label debut by a major talent.