Escapology

As a bansuri (flute) rises from a bed of flamenco guitar on album opener ‘Escapology’, any listeners who last heard from bandleader Martin Glover (aka the producer Youth) as bassist in Killing Joke will realise we are a long way from his post-punk origins. Since leaving Killing Joke in 1982, Youth has been on an odyssey through almost any genre one cares to name. If there is a unifying theme, it is a talent for expanding the possibilities of trance. Purists may bristle at the incorporation of Indian classical and flamenco into a chill-out soundscape, but the fusion is conducted with subtlety and sensitivity.

Youth's talents as a producer shine through in summoning lush yet uncluttered performances from the 14-piece Duende Indian Collective. The dreamy dulcimer of ‘Pahari’ meshes naturally with synth pads and electro burbles, underscoring an unshowy melismatic vocal from Maria Gracia. The portentous pseudo-philosophical voiceover that features on several tracks is a significant misstep. One would hope that meditations on the ‘mathematics of rain' are intended as parody but, regardless, Youth's commendable musical curiosity has yielded up a pleasant ambient elixir.