Prophesy

Prophesy

With <I>Beyond Skin</I>, Nitin Sawhney set a high bar for global fusion music. Now he's raised it with <I>Prophesy</I>, taking advantage of a larger budget to bring in Indian strings, a South African choir, a Chicago cabbie, soul singer Terry Callier, and Nelson Mandela, among many other things. But what could have been an awkward grab bag of sound comes together under Sawhney's sure hands and inspired songwriting. He makes the unusual work. On "Sunset," for instance, flamenco and rai meet Brazil, and the vocals of Cheb Mami and Nina Miranda work to glorious effect. Trilok Gurtu contributes some stunning <I>kannakol</I> (vocal percussion) to "Breathing Light," while Natacha Atlas beguiles with her singing on "Acquired Dreams." But this is more than a collection of great tunes--it's an album that ponders the way our world and civilization is developing, asking questions and challenging assumptions while still delivering some sumptuous grooves and melodies. It all culminates with the title track, on which Sawhney's acoustic guitar and the vocals of the London Community Gospel Choir provide a piece of quiet, hypnotic intensity. Thought provoking, intelligent, and mature, <I>Prophesy</I> is the work of someone who deserves to be called an artist. <I>--Chris Nickson</I>