Has anyone else noticed how ironic it is that as 'The West' (erm, Bush and Blair and their political acolytes) threaten war with 'The East' (a few shadowy individuals and hordes of innocent people), the Western music scene has developed a vogue for incorporating Middle and Far Eastern music in their productions?
Everyone's at it, from Panjabi MC and his Knight Rider sampling chart-topper, to US superstars like Missy Elliot, Bubba Sparxx and Dr Dre. Not since Talvin Singh went tabla-tastic in UK club-land in the mid-Ninetiess have the sounds of the Asian Underground been so fashionable.
From the midst of all this step Trickbaby, a group consisting of song writing duo Saira Hussain and Steve Ager, who have surrounded them by a team of trusty musicians, including Jeevan (harmonium, keys and vocals), Vikaash (drums and percussion), and Renu (tabla and percussion).
Trickbaby have already had some success, particularly with having their songs played on radio and TV a lot; their debut single 'Indi-Yarn' was the first Hindi language single to be play-listed at Radio One.
For 'Hanging Around' though (the groups first album), the band have decided to work on their own terms, and through their own label Chachaman - presumably to retain some creative control over their music.
The decision seems to have worked well, since 'Hanging Around' manages to tip-toe across the famously skinny tightrope that lies between mainstream accessibility and more 'underground' cultural fusion.
Just a couple of tracks in, however, and we realise that Trickbaby are aiming their music to as wide an audience as possible.
The sounds are highly polished, often delicately restrained and sometimes even outright sanitised, and there's not too much to offer the hedonistic, club-going masses (although the inclusion of outside guests like Sriv Shankar (Ronnie Jordan) and Baluji Srivastav (Massive Attack) will no doubt enhance their kudos with the headz).
Nonetheless there are some good songs included here, even if they will feel a little polite for many tastes.
In their favour, Trickbaby never quite descend into the mawkish sentimentality of fellow Asian artists like Nitin Sawhney: but then neither do they tap into the same rich vein of spiritually-enhanced creativity that he sometimes attains.
Overall it's a nice enough album, though for many that will be exactly the problem.
