Next Spring

This meeting of the ud, ney and kora is contemplative and exploratory – an experiment in their shared sensibilities and in forging new paths. Bringing together the soundscapes of Turkey and West Africa, there are moments of pure symbiosis in this hard-to-pin-down fusion. Mehmet Polat's ud is the dominant force that underpins the whole album; it is the instrument that feels most confident, with kora player Soumana Diarra and Sinan Arat on the ney (flute) walking a path alongside it.

‘One Drop in the Ocean’ is a less than stimulating opening to the album but with its successor, ‘There Life Begins Again’, Next Spring gains momentum after a full and mellifluous ud intro. ‘Next Spring’ builds on the ud's rich timbre and resonance – the thrumming bass notes provide a beautiful wash, over which the kora and ney really come into their own. There is a bit of a recurring theme of a strong introduction being followed by a period of weaker interaction between instruments, but there are nonetheless a few absolute gems on the album, particularly ‘The Day Will Comeungle’ – and yes, the track is actually called that. Long puddles of rich bass phrases are accompanied by the reedy, haunting lilt of ney before the two move into a frenzied and flighty duet. Hypnotic, yearning and steamy, it is the album's standout track.