Ani Ukali, Sangai Orali

Here's something a little different, from the new-school folk band Night. They attempt to take the folk traditions – principally the instruments – of their native Nepal in new directions, using electronics and ambient sounds. Much of it is very well put together, even if the instrumental tracks feel rather aimless at times; it is vocal tracks such as ‘Ani Ukali, Sangai Orali’ and ‘Tuina Ko Cha Hai Bhara’ that are the most successful. Clearly quite a bit of thought has been put into the disc, and the musicians are evidently very much concerned with preserving Nepali instrumental traditions. However, the word that springs to mind when listening to this album is ‘composed,’ which feels at odds with the identification of this as being an example of a new folk tradition. This is where the album falls down: the music here feels so mediated that it verges on divorcing itself from its Nepali roots, which cannot be repaired by simply including a nyakhi or dhimay (drums played by Nepal's Newari). This is a shame, given the fantastically varied and exciting musical traditions to be found in the country.