Alejandro Franov
Khali
Staubgold 2007

01. Micerino Alap
02. Micerino Tema
03. Shumba
04. Gandanga
05. Pasando el Mar
06. Khali
07. Sumatra
08. Luxor
09. Isis
10. Nyamaropa
11. Sudan
12. Cuentos
13. Karigamombe

It's albums like Khali that further help give music with international and "non-western" influences a different connotation than the "world music" tag which still too many people associate with tacky New Age. Anyhow, Khali really is an international album, not in a sort of "trip around the world" way, but more in a Polytheistic one. The three most dominant instruments are an Indian sitar, a Paraguayan harp and the African mbira (which seems to be getting more and more popular as an instrument also outside of Africa). The music is throughout peaceful and calm, mixing touches of keyboards and bass along with swirls of ethnic sounds rolled like cozy warm beds... There's not really one track to be highlighted - the whole album dreamily flows by; however, 'Sudan', on which Franov starts and ends with an accordion and continues in an incredibly gentle mood, does stand out. Late night lounge, pleasant by all means, and well worth revisiting from time to time.

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