Olli Goes to Bollywood

Nothing if not experimental, Olli & The Bollywood Orchestra have made a third album every bit as bizarre as its predecessors. Oscillating between the unremarkable and the truly inspired, Olli Goes to Bollywood is the sound of a talented band that hasn’t quite managed to reach its destination. French composer and vocalist Ollivier Leroy, working with some of AR Rahman's famous musicians, has crafted memorable pieces that are as impressive as his mastery of Hindi. It's unfortunate that these exemplary fusion tracks are nestled between equally underwhelming attempts.

The best songs are undoubtedly Leroy's duets with fellow vocalist Kavita Baliga. In ‘Tchaine Tchouraké’, Leroy makes full use of Baliga's incredible voice and Asad Khan's similarly stunning sitar, with Leroy's own harmonies and percussion modernising a sound that approaches 90s Bollywood's signature playback style. The resultant madness is reminiscent of The Bombay Royale at their best. The more sedate duet ‘Pyaar Djo Houa’ is also impressive, and other noteworthy tracks include the religious number ‘Jagdish’ – with its haunting sarangi and violins – and the concluding ‘Dance Bharata’. The rest of the album feels under-developed in comparison, but there may just be enough talent showcased in these four tracks to make up for it.