Earthville Records
Gamelan X : Satu (US,2007)****°
For some years I tried to locate gamelan-inspired groups from all over the world. No doubt that for me, one of the most impressive new groups with Gamelan is Gamelan X, also because they have all the capacities to increase the gamelan’s sound and expressive possibilities with other, like Western, instruments and approaches, and this also, Live, into a spectacular stage form with dance and visual spectacle with choreography, with crowd interaction. The style is often in rather classical way/talent composed but there are also more jazzy brass arrangements which are combined with chamber-rock like arrangements (violin, drums,..), -in a way this should interest Rock In Opposition/Zappa (?) listeners-, with also a bit of Balkan elements (trumpet mostly), contemporary classical elements (operatic vocal touches), as well as small touches of other world cultures (small elements, completely adapted into melodies and in rhythmical references), increasing the spirit that creativity hardly has borders when it is structurally inspired. The group is also part of Earthville/CreatioNation, an organisation which invites altruistic artists and compassionate creators into their "CitizenShip" as a way of “pledging your allegiance to the creative and compassionate world we're all building together”, a feeling which fits well. While an important core is the gamelan, it is not necessarily always dominating, on the foreground or used to lead. The inspiration is always balanced completely and has not one moment it does not keep the things vivid and inspired. Recommended !
