Saagara

Taking its mixture of improvisational echoes and revamped Carnatic rhythms one step further, Polish-Indian quintet Saagara adds ethnic percussion and amps up electronics for further unprecedented sounds on its third session. Organized by Warsaw-based Wacław Zimpel, who plays  alto clarinet, sopranino saxophone, flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards and electronics, angled screeches are supplied by violinist Mysore N. Karthik, with the arranged textures from a music store’s load of subcontinent percussion is played by Giridhar Udupa, Aggu Baba, K Raja, Kulur Jayachandra Rao and Pramath Kiran. Vocal samples and electronic oscillations round out the mix.

Paramountly a group music the twists and turns of the tracks are directed by the constant and vigorous thumps, undulations and vibrations of the mostly hand pumped instruments. With little spatial distance among idiophones, many sequences fasten onto pressurized intensity with the tension ratcheted up even further as the narratives evolve. While the suppleness of the percussionists whose skill brings out suggestions of talking drums and steel drums and palm slaps, it’s only the non-idiophones which pierce the concentrated drone that permeates every track.

When not overlaying the arrangements with whiny and strained glissandi or squeezed spicatto stretches, Karthik bring a hoedown-like expression to the fore on a tune like “Northern Wind Brings Redemption”. Furthermore if there are hints of melodies they can be attributed directly to the violinist, the Bengali yodeling of most likely Udupam, and expositions propelled by Zimpel’s herky-jerky electric piano judders, sonorous organ breaks, guitar riffs  and – not surprisingly for someone with eastern European roots – animated Klezmer-like clarinet riffs on tunes like “Sunbeam Spirits”.

While unusual programmed wave forms don’t pull the tracks towards EDM or overt electronica, the wavering buzzes provide another dimension to the taut force of the sounds. Overall 3 posits a new direction for Saagara which actually builds on its background. How many more variations can be created without splintering the initial concept is a question that could be posed. The answer could be fascinating.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. God of Bangalore 2. Sunbeam Spirits 3. The Rite of Rain 4. Northern Wind Brings Redemption 5. Where Is That Blossom 6. Earth, Water and the Holy Groove

Personnel: Wacław Zimpel (alto clarinet, sopranino saxophone, flute, acoustic guitar, keyboards, electronics); Mysore N. Karthik (violin); Giridhar Udupa (ghatam, cajon); Aggu Baba (frame drum, talking drum) K Raja (thavil); Kulur Jayachandra Rao (mridangam) and Pramath Kiran (percussion)