SHAKTI レコード& CD

Review: Indian fusion band Shakti were formed all the way back in 1974, and after a disbanding and long hiatus in the fallout, they made a comeback in 2020 with This Moment. Despite the time passed, the original lineup of John McLaughlin (guitar), Zakir Hussain (tabla), L. Shankar (violin), and T.H. Vinayakram (ghatam), came together once more after a whopping 40 years. The album, now reissued by Abstract Logix, provides the most modern take yet on their craft, blending elements of experimental, jazz, rock, classical, and Indian music into a unique and mesmerizing sound.

Review: Before becoming Belgian new beat and techno titans, Praga Khan and Chris Inger were collaborators in a new wave influenced band called Shakti. "Verboden Dromen" gathers together the best of the outfit's work recorded between 1987 and 1990, offering up tracks that join the dots between intoxicating synth-pop, moody new wave, hypnotic grooves and dark and sleazy dancefloor moments. All of the tracks have stood the test of time remarkably well, with highlights including the humid and exotic chug of "Kamasutra", the hallucination-inducing tropical fever of "Demonic Forces" and "Shanah", and the bustling, club-ready bounce of "The Awakening", which sounds like the Thompson Twins after one too many tabs of acid.