Hive Mind continues their incredible run of records with Matir Gaan, a collaboration between young Bengali migrant, Mohammed After Hussain, and Italian electronic artist, Andrea Rusconi (Paq). It’s an unexpected delight hearing the synth drones as a base for Hussain to layer with his spellbinding singing and the Bengali folk rhythms of his homeland.
“The Whole Day Slipped Away (Helay Khelay Moner Anonde Din Furailo)” is one of the most mesmerizing songs on the album. Hussain’s singing steals the show (it does throughout the album, obviously), but the understated electronics buoy the ecstatic reverie of the song without feeling out of place or overbearing. It’s an utter delight.
The footage used in the video is from a Baul documentary that aired on Indian TV. It’s well worth watching on its own as it gives an overview of Baul culture and beliefs and their palace in Bengali village life.
Matir Gaan is crucial listening and is out now on Hive Mind.
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