Between Us…

Sitarist Anoushka Shankar here joins forces with the Netherlands-based Metropole Orkest and handpan performer Manu Delago on a purely instrumental album. There are a lot of positives to this release, firstly that this is beautifully performed by a group of exceptionally professional musicians. Secondly, all the tracks were performed live, and very smooth performances they are too, especially given some of the tricky rhythmic passages.

The track ‘Chasing Shadows’ is particularly virtuosic, showing both Shankar and the orchestra off to their best advantage. The album starts off in traditional style with an alap-like meditation over a long drone, before embarking on a much more lively second half to the track (‘Voice of the Moon’), setting the tone for the rest of the album. A lot of the unison writing – sitar and strings – has a somewhat retro filmi vibe to them (‘Traveller’ even brings to mind the Egyptian backing orchestras of the 1950s and 60s), and in many ways I felt the tracks evoke this past musical world. However, at times the scoring felt a little pedestrian (for example on ‘Flight’), and with such a group of musicians at their disposal, I would have expected a more adventurous exploration of their talents.