Krishna Lila

Unlike many who enter the treacherous realm of dance that combines club rhythms with world music aesthetics, DJ Cheb I Sabbah forgets about "synergy" and trusts the source material and his own musical voice to provide the dance floor impetus. Long stretches of Krishna Lila are lifted straight from the sitar-driven classical-folk Indian traditions of Ravi Shankar, Ashwin Batish, and the Middle Eastern tabla rhythms of master percussionists like Zakir Hussain. Even more so than 1999's Shri Durga, Sabbah lends only very subtle production touches to his ragas and drones, spending Lila's running time in a confident glaze. The approach succeeds by recognizing the inherent beats already present and implied in the rich texture of Hindustani musical culture. Durga had its more mix-oriented follow-up in Maha Maya, so perhaps Sabbah will release a similar companion piece for this record. Until then, he leaves a pack of confused DJs in his wake, while he tries to liberate the tin from some of dance music's more robotically compliant ears. --Matthew Cooke