Antahkarana

Titled after a word meaning “inner instrument” in Sanskrit, the new album by Bengali-Australian fusion group The Three Seas is an eclectic mix of folk, jazz, dub and psychedelia. Recorded at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios after a 10-day residency at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the material on Antahkarana is the culmination of the band’s 15-year cross-cultural exploration. The tracklist is a tour-de-force of Baul mysticism (‘Bhalobasha Makorshar Jal’), Himalayan Buddhist mantra (‘Khyentse’) and Hindu metaphysics (‘Rongmohole’). Central to the arrangements are Raju Das Baul’s stunning vocals, accompanied by Deo Ashis Mothey, Gaurab Chatterjee and Brendan Clark on a plethora of percussion, guitar, electric bass, harmonium, dotora and esraj. Another highlight is Matt Keegan’s baritone saxophone, which is spotlighted on the instrumental ‘The Doctrine’. While the songs in Bengali and Nepali are transcendent, the English lyrics can feel a little trite in comparison. However, this does nothing to diminish an excellent work that goes beyond standard expectations of world-fusion.