THE COMPOSITION OF WORLD HARMONY is a "Gem". Contrary to most other Fusion bands, which concentrate on fusing elements of East and West together, MRIGYA toys with the various sub-genres of Eastern music, fusing Hindustani Classical and Sufi for example, and then incorporating elements of Classic Rock and Jazz, maybe through the guitaring and drumming. This makes listening to this album a very interesting journey, as its highly unpredictable and abstract. Vocals is highly appreciable, specially when the Sufi parts come in. At some points in the album, you will be amazed at the way the sound transforms from being mellow to happy, even changing genres many times, switching from Hindusthani to 70s or 80s Classic Rock in a flash, with the superb guitaring and drumming giving a whole new dimension to the song, only to switch back to the original genre of the song, keeping you awestruck. The flair with which they go about their songs, and the mastery they display over the kind of music they do, is nothing but overflowing talent.
The intro track, GANGA, is a fitting introductory track to this musical marvel. Featuring guest artist, Sukriti Sen's vocals in the forefront, the track is based on the "Jog" raag, and is excellently done, with brilliant Van Halen-esque solos adorning the middle parts of the five-and-a-half minute track. And in the latter part comes the violin with its solo, and then comes the tabla giving company to a mindblowing short slap-bass part. The second track ALI has been sung excellently, and as a whole, it comes under the umbrella of World Music. And parts of the song seems to draw influences from Jethro Tull, specially the jazzy and bluesy parts. Just imagine a Sufi song merged with such elements, and still sound scintillating. MRIGYA is capable of doing this. PROCESSION opens with chants from the Rig Veda and and Muezzin's Azaan fused together. The starting of the song surely sounds ethereal, to put it in the best way. Then it gives way to a thunderous atmosphere that sets in as soon the violin starts playing, and Sukriti and Gulaam Qadar's vocals assuming themselves to be the gods which decide the emotional state of the listener, as emotions sway helplessly, at the mercy of the violinist and the vocalists.
MITWA could have been done in a better way and sounds a little dull, with the overall appeal of the song, minus the vocals, matching to a great extent, that of PARIKRAMA. PAHARI FUNK, as a musical piece, has every element embedded in it, eastern and western, with world beats and funky bass riffs, and smooth guitar solos, and excellent drumming. SCOTTISH tries to infuse the essence of bagpipes, but it couldn't encapsulate the Scottish feel well, and just when the whole song was starting to get a little boring, the vocals come to the rescue. From then on, the song sounds better. Parts of the song can again make you recall Jethro Tull's 'Bouree' and how Ian Anderson was toying with the flute there. And if you do recall, you will miss the use of flute in this song. DECCAN is a lovely track, that takes you on a fantastical journey to the court of some ancient Indian king, who has an ear for modernised fusion of Hindusthani Classical and qawwali-esque music both, with the two styles of singing knitted together by beatiful drumming and use of bass guitar. The last track, which leaves you craving for more, is like this 'happy ending' song. ROCK THE RAAG is based on "Khamaj" raag, and starts of with this Punk Rock type guitar intro, and then the tabla and the violin play in tandem, with drums assuming to be the moderator between these two instruments, as they seem to challenge each other to a duel. And just as this is done with, comes the incredible shredding of the guitar followed by the keyboards, and then all the instruments join together as they play simultaneously, providing the perfect ending to this amazing journey, called THE COMPOSITION OF WORLD HARMONY.
When you consider the fact that this is just the first offering from MRIGYA, you can't but stop yourself from admiring their immeasurable potential. Successfully experimenting with such a difficult kind of fusion music is never a cup of tea for any musician. And when six musicians devote eleven years of their life towards the cause of propagating such a niche brand of music, it results in an album like THE COMPOSITION OF WORLD HARMONY, a classic, a masterpiece, a work of pure art.
