Travellers

UK-based composer and sound artist Jason Singh is known for his innovative work making music out of the sounds of nature, often placing him in lush greenery. On this latest album he enters a different kind of environment: the vast, desolate landscape of Rajasthan. Travellers features field recordings made during his stay that augment performances from The Banwasi Collective, a group of master musicians and hereditary folk singers known as the Manganiyars (also spelt ‘Manganhar’ or ‘Manganiar’). They are an ancient community of travelling minstrels whose much-loved songs focus on love and longing set against the backdrop of a harsh desert that is both inspiring and challenging.

The Manangiyars are Muslim musicians who have enjoyed the patronage of the largely Hindu aristocracy for centuries, with their songs being drawn from mystical poetry featuring allegories from both the Hindu and Muslim spiritual traditions, including the poetry of the 12th-century Sufi master Abdul Qadir Gilani (as heard here on ‘Pir Jilani’) as well as the verses of Mirabai (or ‘Meera’), the 16th-century saint-poetess famed for her unconditional love of the Hindu god Krishna – a love that sent her husband into a rage (as on ‘Prem Diwani’).

This music carries a raw energy that is mainly driven by lyrics, so it might seem a strange choice for someone like Singh to produce with his style of adding natural sounds. Even so, there is something of an enhanced ‘atmosphere’ in what already feels like music performed in a natural setting. For instance, the very first track, ‘Runalayo’ (Beloved) opens with a murmured conversation against the sound of birdsong, pre-recorded on location by Singh, creating a kind of intimacy akin to being physically present at the recording.

The word banwasi which gives the collective its name, means ‘one who dwells in the forest’ and is also the title of a track, a song from the 16th-century mystic-poet Tulsidas, which describes the Hindu god-king Rama's banishment to the forest for a 14-year exile. Again, Singh incorporates re-pitched field recordings of birdsong, in an attempt to transport the listener to an ancient mythical forest.

The album notes include full translations of the songs, ranging from the story about Mirabai's jealous husband sending her a poisonous snake in the guise of a necklace to a poem from the famous 18th-century Sindhi Sufi mystic Shah Abdul Latif about legendary lovers Sassi and Punnu whose doomed affair is an allegory of the hardships faced by the spiritual seeker.

Traditional Rajasthani instruments including the ancient khartal (similar to castanets), manjira (small cymbals also known as tala), morchang (an Indian version of the jaw harp) and kamayacha (a small bowed instrument), along with harmonium and dholak (a barrel-shaped drum). All are subtly enhanced by overdubs including guitar, bass and clarinet.

This album encapsulates all the elements of Singh's work, which has been described as an ongoing exploration of the natural world, voice and music technology. It pays homage to the very soul of Rajasthan through its songs and sounds.