Songs
song of the album Wanderlust (2008)
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- artist:Kiran Ahluwalia
- featured artist:Kiran Ahluwalia
- region:Indian Subcontinent
- release year:2007
- style(s):Ghazal, Tradimodern
- country:India
- formats:CD (Compact Disc)
- record posted by:World Connection Agency
- label:World Connection Agency
- publisher:World Connection Publishing
- buy this record
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Songlines has recently (june 2009) awarded Kiran Ahluwalia with the Songlines Best Newcomer Award
Songlines about the last album 'Wanderlust':
Kiran Ahluwalia is on a mission, a voyage of discovery. Born in India, raised in Canada and now living in New York, there's some curious musical cross-currents going on here. For one thing, she fell in love with fado and there are three tracks heavily influenced by it, complete with Portuguese musicians. However, the strongest tracks on the album are ghazals, most notably the 15th century 'Teray Darsan', which is delivered with a bluesy backing that could have come from the Sahara; a really strong track, it is only spoilt by a touch too much guitar noodling. When she sings 'you are my companion in this life and the afterlife', you believe her. Another romantic lump in the throat moment is the Punjabi folk song 'Tumba', featuring the lyric 'neither Hindu nor Muslim, I have accepted my beloved's religion of love'. In such songs, Ahluwalia's clear but strong voice, allied to some wonderful melodies, carries all before it. She hasn't got the power of an Abida Parveen, but then Parveen's voice is often too powerful to cope with the delicacy of a ghazal.
The last song, 'Haath Apne', is the most successful of the fado-ghazal experiments, but is also a telling one she sings of finding herself in someone else's suit. The impression here is of an admirably adventurous singer, aided by producer husband Rez Abbasi, still working out what fits. Having made a fresh and exciting album, if she carries on her journey of exploration, she has the potential to astonish us.
Peter Culshaw, Songlines