Liquid Reality by Anupam Shobhakar is as revelational as it is classical and dystopian–a sound experience that is both archaic and cybernetic. The revelation that he had made to the interpretation of Indian classic music with fretless guitar, I was at once tempted to know how he would expand upon his already impressive palette. The answer is breathtaking.
The album begins with a thunderous invocation called Anjaneya which instantly takes up the new innovative version of the double-neck guitar invented by Shobhakar. Fretted and fretless strings interact to sound in ways that I have never heard–these seem to be two musical worlds interacting in intimate dialogue. Rhythmic patterns here, which are fuelled by percussion genius, are simply breathtaking.
The most impressive thing to me is the fact that Shobhakar is not afraid of uniting apparently opposite musical traditions. His new adaptation of the Shakti classic, La Danse du Bonheur, tributes John McLaughlin and yet strikes completely new ground. It is solemn and, at the same time, bravely innovative- this is what great cover versions are supposed to be.
Emotional spectrum of the album is breathtaking. The formlessness of Formless derives all to bare fretless guitar and kanjeera and leaves space to breathe silence and micro-rhythms to dance. Then “Hey Ghalib” superimposes strata of melodic decoration which are like music calligraphy. The collaborative attitude is evident throughout, as the work is contributed by some composers like Utsav Lal and Santiago Liebson as well as contributions of the legendry Swami Selva Ganesh giving the percussional colour.
When Home gently wraps up the album, I have already experienced the effect of going through various musical dimensions. Liquid Reality does not merely transverse between the cultures, it melts, and it forms something really new. It is an important listening to those who think that music can cross the boundaries.
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