Her musical career started at quite an early age and by the age of 16 she had signed her first record contract with ANGEL RECORDS (EMI). Her first album was called ANOUSHKA(1998), followed by ANOURAG(2000), LIVE AT CARNEGIE HALL(2001), RISE(2005), BREATHING UNDER WATER(2007) and finally her latest album called TRAVELLER(2011).
TRAVELLER is a unique piece of work mainly because, as the title clearly suggests, it is a venture to discover the link between two very old and quite similar styles of music, the classical Indian sitar and the Spanish flamenco. Their common origin and eventual growth into new styles, and the rediscovery of their link is a fascinating idea for an album. The agile fingering and the shrill sound of the sitar coupled with the fiery tradition that is the Spanish flamenco is an exquisite alliance especially in some of the high tempo tracks like BULERIA CON RICARDO, which is abound with amazing piano work by Pedro Ricardo Mino, is the true essence of such beautiful collaborations. Of course, since it is essentially a classical Indian album, the sitar dominates a great deal but it does fall back in some cases to give the other instruments their due share and results in almost equal distribution of sound.
One of the noteworthy elements of the Anoushka Shankar is her ability to give her music a synesthetic effect. One does not only hear her music but perceives it through other sensory pathways. This effect is highlighted in DANCING IN MADNESS, where one not only hears her music but can envision it too. The ability to produce such a multiplicity of sensory responses is nothing short of poetic. Especially, since it is in most parts completely Instrumental. Another charming feature is the soothing nature of some of her songs like SI NO PUEDA VERLA. She can make you sway with her tunes and calm you down. I know of very few songs that can actually do that to me. It has a very spiritual, quasi divine feeling and should be one of the songs that cannot be missed. Whether it is the fiery piano work of Ricardo Mino or the passionate singing of Duquende or Concha Buika, it blends in together with the intended theme and is a wonderful journey from the beginning to the end of the album.
Songs like the title track, TRAVELLER, or other decent ones like LOLA’S LULLABY and CASI UNO enhance the overall appeal and though it might seems a little easy going as compared to the other tracks they do have their rightful place in the album. A phenomenal album nonetheless and it not only occupies a very significant position in Indian Classical music but also as an album not shackled by genres or boundaries.
Bottom Line
It is an album of exquisite collaborations and beautiful melodies and rightly deserves all the acclaim it has received. The varying styles and techniques should be very interesting for musicians who play stringed instruments but also are meant for listeners that are not bound by genre loyalties and are willing to listen to something amazingly new.
