The Bongolian - Indian Summer Of Love

Five years on from the Latin soul warmth of Harlem Hipshake, Nasser Bouzida returns with his seventh album as The Bongolian and arrives somewhere entirely new. Indian Summer of Love is a gloriously psychedelic, richly colored, paisley-patterned journey through 1960s Indian psychedelia by way of Haight-Ashbury, a kaleidoscopic vision that draws a line from the era when The Beatles discovered transcendental meditation all the way through to the dancefloors and headphone sessions of the present day.

Bouzida handles drums, percussion, guitars, and keys throughout, and the drums are to the forefront as never before, a self-described percussion journey from a man who has been playing since the age of 11. The new sonic dimensions that give the album its distinctive character come from an international cast of guest musicians: Venezuelan sitar maestro Churrogreen and Indian classical musician Rajat Prasanna on bansuri weave throughout the arrangements, joined by flute, trumpet, saxophone, and trombone that deepen the palette without ever softening its floor-ready purpose. The results span the beautifully evocative, titles like "Baadshar of Bollywood," "Farewell to Varanasi," "Kathakali Eye Dancer," and "Nehru Jacket Required" delivering exactly what they promise: sinuous flutes, wild Moog solos, sitar melodies, guitar fuzz, and rhythmic percussion wig-outs that conjure old hippie mountain trails, steaming jungles, and stoned afternoons in equal measure.

This is music for dancers and seekers alike, built for high fidelity listening and built for movement. From the East to the West, welcome to the Indian Summer of Love.