Maldivian Traditional Music From V Keyodhoo

The remote nature of the Maldives and its Indian Ocean islands has meant that, over the centuries, its inhabitants have moulded a unique brand of music, poetry and rhythms. Its elasticity means it can fashion its own popular takes of Bollywood songs or mould hypnotic boduberu songs using large drums and syncopations that clearly have African roots. It's the latter that's at the heart of this three-disc box set recorded by various musicians, but released under the collective name Vaavu Keyodhoo Rahvehi Club, in the V Keyodhoo island. There were no retakes, overdubs or edits to, as the liner notes insist, ‘sweeten the final mix.’ It's a worthy idea, but the results are laboured and indigestible, with only a few moments of enjoyment.

The third CD, Raivaru, is a frustrating example: the final half is a series of monologues in the vernacular, with no inkling as to what the subject of the conversation is. It is preceded by solo versions of old folk tunes performed by Mariyam Ali, a living legend of over 100 years old who has never been recorded before. The release is a homage to the singer, affectionately known as Maama, yet we are again left in the dark as to the extent of her significance over that century; her voice is presumably not quite what it once was. Only for the initiates.