Joi, One And One Is One (Real World) 9
Joi claim to be "the original Asian breakbeat fusionists." Indeed, they founded the Joi Bangla Sound System that ignited the amazing output by the British-based Asian Underground (Talvin Singh, Bedouin Ascent, Vedic, Asian Dub Foundation). After their recording debut on Star Rise, a tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, their debut is a welcome new guest to the party. Joi are a Bengali duo, made up brothers Farook and Haroon Shamsher. At their best, such as "Asian Vibes," they feature the vocals of Susheela Raman, a captivating hybrid of Sheila Chandra, Sussan Deyhim and Natacha Atlas. Their integration of sitars and tablas are masterful. My only complaint is that their reliance on mundane Western dance beats are a bit heavy-handed. From their obvious song titles like "Everybody Say Yeah," "Massive," and (duh) "India," it's clear that their mission is simple - too spread their Asian fusion to dance clubs around the world. If that means I'll never have to hear [fill in overplayed dance club anthem here] again, I'll give them my full support.
