INDIAN WORLD Fusion review page : Julian Franks

Great Mothers Hands Rec. Julian Franks : Jewel In The Lotus (UK,2004)*°'

On the first couple of tracks (built up by sound recordings, keyboards, effect vocals, loud recorded rhythm-accompanying bass), the music started as rather mainstream pop first in a New Agey world music fusing context from a deliberate vision and choice or interest to mix Indian sounds with rather obvious effects, and a more poppy track with predictable content. One could already notice that at the same time this was no sampled world fusion, but still seemed to be deliberately similar. I had to listen twice to understand why, because further on the style had thoroughly changed and opened up.

With each track the world fusion elements, and the progression moves further away from this, with a beautiful evolution going deeper into the enjoyment of what world music could produce from there. It is as if the composer Julian who first made a deliberate step of interest towards the world, with the help of friends evolves from the commonly recognisable Western new age world music pop vision towards truer essences, which are more deeply rooted in the countries musical elements he’d like to adapt.

And in this evolution, it is as if Julian travels there, until he truly IS there, like Buddha once said something like “the world is here”. The tracks get more improvisations, built up in mood, use Indian, African and Asian elements, which by the second half have created their own perspective and vision, rather than an obvious reflection from where it started. This is a journey in a musical sense and perhaps a spiritual sense.

Audio : http://cdbaby.com/cd/julianfranks

Info : http://www.julianfranks.com/

Article : http://magazine.brighton.co.uk/...

Workshop info : http://www.whitemountainretreat.com/Drumming.htm

Great Mothers Hands Rec. Jules Franks : Can we return to the heart (UK,2008)**°'

While previously having been involved in music that included Indian music inspirations, under the name of Julian Franks, this is something different, although there remains an underlying wish to spread and mobilize a vision that belongs to a wider perspective in the world.

Musically this is more something that I would like to describe as Trance World Pop music.

While the visions tend to lose ground for being alternatively spreading around with its energy, Jules Franks most of all is also a drummer, so that drums and electric bass always keep the structure tight and groovily dynamic and this while the bass driven voice (that carries well, with deeper tones, now and then slightly electrically deformed), spread its message and keeps an improvised, linear spreading improvisation with it.

Female singer Genevieve brings the tones back into the air on a much higher register.

On the opener you could easily imagine a sound influence between Legendary Pink Dots and Dead Can Dance, within this described vision. The second track starts with acoustic guitar and hand drum played steel pan, before other instruments are added for more dynamic energy. This includes clarinet and a certain ethnic bowed violin, an instrument which you can also hear in the next track, which is also built with steelpan, acoustic guitars, electric bass, percussion, and also some electric guitar solos. The fourth track also features sax. On the fifth track you can hear seagulls and water on the background. Only the last track features tablas, and quickly becomes electric.

All tracks keep the middle between a meditative, ambitious vision inspired in words, a trance world grooviness, within a popular sounding attraction of this style keeping a darker centre.

Audio : http://www.myspace.com/julianfranks

Homepage : http://www.julesfranks.com/