Nitin Sawhney In The Mind Of Nitin Sawhney Review

This album is a featured release on BBC's Asian Network

Nitin Sawhney’s unique global sound has undoubtedly influenced a generation of British Asian musicians, but it’s rare to hear which artists have impressed the man himself. New label, District 6, addresses this matter by choosing the multitalented composer/performer as the first in a line of well-known artists, bands or producers to create an album in a series of compilations called In The Mind Of.

In The Mind Of…Nitin Sawhney is a fascinating blend of 13 tracks personally chosen by Nitin, which have inspired his personal and professional life over the years. Taken from funky, cutting edge releases from the genres and sub-genres of jazz, dance, world and soul, the likes of Massive Attack, D’Angelo and Air feature here.

Some of the tracks are instantly recognisable, such as D’Angelos’s super smooth Brown Sugar, Massive Attack’s Teardrop and dub remix of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s ''Mustt Mustt''. But it’s the less familiar tracks such as One Self’s ''Be Your Own'' and Koop’s ''Waltz For Koop'' which stand out. While the former impresses with its rhythmic vocals, the later glides with carefree abandon.

Nitin’s passion for flamenco is reflected in the Spanish vibe of Ojos de Brujo’s ''Memorias Perdias'' and Paco de Lucia’s ''Almoriama'', both of which break up the mellow flow of the album without distracting. Of the more surprising inclusions are Bernard Herman and London Philharmonic Orchestra’s rendition of Psycho, whose soaring strings seems an usual fit amongst the exotic soundscapes. Nitin’s sadness at not being able to include Bob Dylan's classic '60s protest song, Blowin' in the Wind, due to rights problems is noted in an insert in the CD case.

Two of Nitin’s own songs, ''Fragile Wind'' and Zero-ID remix of ''Songbird'' (also known as ''Koyal''), are rightly included, and their quality are a reminder of why he is one of the most creative and versatile artists in the world today. Just like his music, Nitin’s eclectic tastes take you on a mellow journey, and are tailor-made for the kind of evenings when you just want to switch off and relax your mind, body and soul. And listening to his selection you get the impression it’s a sea of tranquillity inside Nitin’s mind.