The Tabla Project

Sam Evans' The Tabla Project isn't as groundbreaking as it is refreshing. Every track has a character of its own that brings the tabla out of the realm of Hindustani classical but briefly. It still makes it a soothing and intricately structured 65 minutes of therapeutic sonic vibes.

Aficionados might find certain melodies inspired by ragas such as ‘Raga Bhairav’ but the arrangement overshadows that feeling. The album kicks off with sombre, yet dramatic setar notes in ‘Anushka’ followed by the slide guitar and clarinet-heavy ‘Tremor’. Stephen Magnusson creates another sonic dimension by plucking Hindustani classical melodic progressions in a bluesy fashion.

Evans doesn't worry about building crescendos. He doesn't indulge a lot into tempo-related gimmickry yet he succeeds in composing very catchy and complete tracks in quite unpredictable rhythmic patterns. But, on the other hand, he doesn't shy away from displaying his skills in the very brave yet subtle ‘Ladu’. Evans maintains a very high pace and combination of notes, with brief moments where nothing but the tabla is playing. Rich in music references from the Silk Road, Evans' offering is a well-thought-out and rounded world music presentation.