At this point in her musical career, Kiran Ahluwalia is a known commodity in the Canadian music landscape. But that doesn't mean that you know exactly what to expect, as the artist proves with Sanata: Stillness. While continuing her musical journey with classical Indian vibes, the mastery involved in melding disparate jazz, fado, Touareg musical colours on a "bend but don't break" level warrants a tip of the hat. Credit is due to Ahluwalia's malleable vocals and to guitarist, husband and longtime collaborator Rez Abbasi's fearless experimentation, as seen on numbers like percussive and guitar-driven "Sanata" the sexually explorative "Tamana" or the heavily blues-influenced "Hayat," a track that is best reflective of the contemporary jazz and "world music" wavelength she artistically occupies.
While one can't help but wonder if Ahluwalia is able to kick things into an even higher vocal gear, with Sanata: Stillness, Ahluwalia successfully contemporizes and enlivens Indian and Pakistani music with a transnational slant.
(Magenta Label Group)While one can't help but wonder if Ahluwalia is able to kick things into an even higher vocal gear, with Sanata: Stillness, Ahluwalia successfully contemporizes and enlivens Indian and Pakistani music with a transnational slant.