DISSIDENTEN
INSTINCTIVE TRAVELER
Grenzenlos intelligente Popmusik für Kopf und Bauch
4 Jahre schienen die rastlosen Wanderer zwischen den musikalischen Welten irgendwo auf dem Globus verschollen zu sein, doch auf ihren Abenteuer- und Tourneereisen blieben sie nicht untätig. "Instinctive Traveler" bildet die musikalische Synthese aus den langjährigen Erfahrungen der weitgereisten Klangforscher. Das Album entstand unter kongenialer Mithilfe zahlreicher unbekannter und bekannter Weggefährten einer nunmehr 17-jährigen Dissidenten-Expedition durch den globalen Dschungel der tanzbaren Töne und Geräusche.
Wie selbstverständlich verbinden die Dissidenten indische, tamilische, indianische, arabische und hawaiianische Stimmen mit Elementen aus Trip Hop, Drum 'n Bass, Rap, Pop und Jazz zu einer wahrhaft globalen Musiksprache. Die Reihe der an "Instinctive Traveler" beteiligten Musiker reicht dabei von den Streichern des Königlich-Marokkanischen Orchesters über die Pow-Wow-Sänger der kanadischen Ojibwe-Indianer bis zum Karnataka College of Percussion aus Südindien. Erstmals singen ein Muslim und ein Tamile zusammen den Blues. Auch mit dabei: Rocklegende Gary Wright, dem mitteleuropäischen Publikum möglicherweise besser bekannt als Kopf der "Spooky Tooth".
Über allem schwebt die unglaublich reife und ausdrucksstarke Stimme von Bajka, der 18jährigen Tochter des Dissidenten-Bassisten Uve Müllrich. Sie ist der Fixstern am Firmament von "Instinctive Traveler" und führt die Reisenden auf Neuland. Mal klingt sie lasziv erotisch, mal rapt sie locker drauf los: Bajkas rauchiger Gesang ist der rote Faden, an dem sich die globalen Soundperlen der Dissidenten wie selbstverständlich ausrichten. Eigentlich kein Wunder, denn Bajka ist, wie es sich für die Tochter eines Dissidenten gehört, Kosmopolitin; geboren im Palast des Maharaja Bhalkrishna Bharti, wuchs sie in Indien, Portugal und Südafrika auf und singt in ihrer Muttersprache Englisch - ebenfalls eine Novität bei den Dissidenten.
"Instinctive Traveler" beeindruckt durch seine Stimmen, Stimmungen und Sounds. Dabei klingt das Album populär im besten Sinne und trotz der ungeheuren Vielfalt stets homogen und nie konstruiert. Den Dissidenten gelingt die stimmige Verknüpfung unterschiedlichster musikalischer Traditionen und Kulturen ohne dabei wirklich nach dem Mainstream zu schielen.
Dissidenten's latest work: Music without boundaries for the mind and body
Keeping to the purely factual is not easy when an act - which Rolling Stone magazine tipped as the "Godfathers of World-Beat" on World Music's genealogical tree - is swamping the senses with something as seductive and sensual as "Instinctive Traveler".
Dissidenten have been on their zigzag worrld voyage for some seventeen years now. Along the way, whether in Spain, Italy, North America, North Africa or Brazil, they have brought millions of people to their feet. and that is not some idly concocted statistic. Brazil alone bought over 1,5 million copies of "Fata Morgana". In North Africa reputedly millions of people cut a rug to pirate copies of Dissidenten's "Sahara Elektrik" - it swamped the market in the Eighties. Along the way Dissidenten enthralled David Byrne and Brian Eno at their New Music Seminar show - frozen sound on 1991's "Live in New York".Four years ago Dissidenten took Kipling's "Jungle Book" into new realms without Disneyfying their inspiration. And their "Jungle Book" in turn kindled the remix fire under the Pope of Techno-Trance, Sven Väth, and the legion of cheeky little remixers. Four years on, "Instinctive Traveler" is a giant step for Dissidentenkind on several counts.
"Instinctive Traveler" is an exploration of hot and humid terra incognito. This time the core trio of Friedo Josch, Marlon Klein and Uve Müllrich is surrounded by many new colleagues. This time the caravanserai include North Indian, Tamil, Native American, Arabic, Hawaiian and blues voices. Explosions of ululation - Ojibwa and Islamic Style - punctuate the music. Funk laces the air. Hindu and Muslim sing a blues together. It is a heady combination.
Meanwhile, amid the clamorous tongues is the voice of Bajka, the 18 year old daughter of Uve Müllrich, the group's bassist. Bajka, as befits a Dissident, as befits a woman born to Dissidentenhood, was born in a maharajah's palace - Maharajah Bhalkrishna Bharti, since you ask - and grew up in India, Morocco and South Africa. No wonder that she brings her mother tongue, English, to "Instinctive Traveler".
Key works which unlock doors to reveal unsuspected vistas were always in precious short supply. But above all else, regardless of its multicultural influences, "Instinctive Traveler" is a popular album in the most real sense. What Dissidenten have managed is a sonic coupling. By uniting cultures and traditions galore what emerges is music targeted at the world. "Instinctive Traveler" could do no less.
"Instinctive Traveler" is not cultural tourism but Dissidenten still require your ticket and yours, estimated traveler, is a copy of ypur review, good or bad, or playlist. A small price to pay for such a deady ride, we feel. but then we are blased.
1. A TASTE OF MELON
Royal Orchestra Of Morocco -Strings
Marlon Klein - Bindir
Friedo Josch - Sax (Casio)
Uve Müllrich - Bindir2. INSTINCTIVE TRAVELER
Bajka - Leadvocal
Raghavendra - Leadvocal
Ramamani - Vocal
Richard Landry - Sax
Dr. Krishna Raghavendra - Veena
Karnataka College of Percussion - (Perc)
Roman Bunka - Guitar
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Bass3. BROKEN MOON
Bajka - Leadvocal, Choir
Kumuhula Nona Kaluhiokalani - Leadvocal, Choir
Joseph Homp - Guitar
Mickey Meinert - Guitar
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Perc
Thomas Kessler - Keyboards
Uve Müllrich-Bass4. DREAMCATCHER
Bajka - Leadvocal
Alan Beleary & The Ojibwe Singers - Choir
Karnataka College of Percussion - Perc
Roman Bunka - Oud, Guitar
Andreas Grimm - Keyboards
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Bass
Manickam Yogeswaran - Kanjira5. BLUE WORLD
Manickam Yogeswaran - Leadvocal on right side
Noujoum Ouazza - Leadvocal on left side, Mandolincello
Roman Bunka - Oud
Richie Arndt - Acoustic Guitar
Marlon Klein - Bass, Drums, Djembe6. SEEK TO SIGH
Bajka - Leadvocal
Anuradha Shukla - Vocal, Choir
Royal Orchestra Of Morocco - Strings
Mohamed Zain Adnani - Vocal
Friedo Josch - Flute
Roman Bunka - Guitar
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums
Hammond Schneider - Keyboards
Uve Müllrich - Bass7. LOBSTER SONG
Bajka - Leadvocal
Manickam Yogeswaran - Leadvocal, Choir
Alfredo Moldes - Vocal, Choir
Roman Bunka - Setar
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Perc
Thomas Kessler - Keyboards8. SHINE ON ME
Dorian Wright - Leadvocal, Choir
Manickam Yogeswaran - Leadvocal, Kanjira
Bajka - Choir
Friedo Josch - Flute
Marlon Klein- Keyboards, Drums, Bass9. LIVE AND EXPERIENCE
Bajka - Leadvocal, Choir
Noujoum Ouazza - Leadvocal
Manfred Schoof - Trumpet
Erin Lindbergh - Choir
Amina - Choir
Abdellah el Gourd - Gimbri
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Perc
Thomas Kessler - Keyboards, Bass10. NEVER SAY NO
Bajka - Leadvocal, Choir
Dorian Wright - Choir
Manickam Yogeswaran - Leadvocal, Choir
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums, Perc, Bass
Karnataka College of Percussion - (Perc)
Roland Spremberg - Keyboards11. THE WORLD IS LIKE A MIRROR
Bajka - Leadvocal
Manickam Yogeswaran - Leadvocal, Choir
Marlon Klein - Keyboards, Drums
For more information contact: Dissidenten