Bombay Dub Orchestra :: Tales From The Grand Bazaar (Six Degrees)

BDO’s third album is a fine east meets west affair that shines with grace and individuality within genre districts flooded with sonic recycling.

I have been following Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay’s Bombay Dub Orchestra project ever since its eponym debut album was released on the renowned Six Degrees imprint in 2006. The charming mix of traditional Indian orchestration, Western classical scents and warm dub-infused electronica immediately captured me.

In 2008 BDO’s second album, 3 Cities, was released and presented a more poignant version of the mix. In October 2013 BDO’s third album finally came out. Tales From The Grand Bazaar is probably the strongest and most crystallized out of the three.

Recorded in Bombay, Istanbul, Kingston (Jamaica), New York and Los Angeles, London and Rockfield (Wales), Tales From The Grand Bazaar offers a very eclectic sonic stream that conjures up colorful, vigorous and mystical images. Just like on previous BDO outputs, a rich cinematic flow glows in all the compositions, and a battery of talented musicians from around the world is involved. As opposed to previous outputs, the electronic seasoning and dub flavors are spicier.

It’s been quite a while since the last time I experienced such a lovely flying carpet journey. Older and timeless Ott materials, and wonderful, more recent Robert Rich releases like Medicine Box for example come to mind when flying in the sceneries of Tales From The Grand Bazaar, but BDO’s signature charm is quite distinctive. There are no imitations here. BDO’s third album is a fine east meets west affair that shines with grace and individuality within genre districts flooded with sonic recycling.

Tales From The Grand Bazaar is available on Six Degrees.