SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: GLASS BEAMS – MAHAL

GLASS BEAMS
MAHAL
NINJA TUNE

Mahal is a very fascinating EP, as is the band Glass Beams. There is not a whole lot known about the band, such as who are the three members, but they do make a great sound with influences as far reaching as Ravi Shankar to Bollywood to Electric Light Orchestra to traditional blues. They take all these influences, melt them together and come up with a very unique and intriguing sound. The trio of mask wearing musicians, however, let their music speak for themselves.

Interestingly, the Melbourne-based band is built around founding member Ranjan Silva, who credits watching The Concert For George DVD on repeat with his father for allowing him to hear all the different sounds and music. The concert, which features standard Western rock artists, as well as performances from Ravi Shankar’s daughter, Anoushka Shankar, can be heard as the basis for Glass Beams music. In many ways, Glass Beams is the sound, one would think, Harrison himself wanted to hear when he introduced classical Indian music into Western pop music via The Beatles and his own solo career.

As for Mahal, the music here is quite sublime and very peaceful. It is melodic with all the influences mixing together. The title track, “Mahal” is a beautiful piece, that after a short introduction track, “Horizon”, really gets the program started. The instrumental piece envelopes the listener and draws them into the almost mystical world of Glass Beams. This is followed by “Orb”, which features a very cool bass riff that is used as the centerpiece of the song. “Snake Oil” follows, which is a bit more traditional Indian classical, especially with the use of the vocals. It is an incredible piece of music. And all too soon the EP comes to an end with the dramatic “Black Sand”. Perhaps the strongest track on the EP, it is the perfect way in which to end Mahal. The beautiful vocals and tasteful guitar interweave, and it creates a very beautiful song.

Mahal is Glass Beams second EP and their follow up to Mirage. They are clearly carving out their own sound and their own place in music. In many ways, Mahal defies categorization and really stands apart from most other music, either classical, alternative, or rock. The trio have created a wonderful EP that quietly demands one’s attention and the listener is rewarded with almost unearthly music.

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