Bombay Dub Orchestra - 3 Cities

Free Download - Bombay Dub Orchestra - Journey


I first met Garry Hughes (one half of the Bombay Dub Orchestra) when I was putting together an ambient "chill out" collection for Windham Hill Records called Path . I included Garry's haunting track "Ancient Evenings" on that collection. Years later when Pat Berry and I left Windham Hill to start Six Degrees, I was looking for a producer to helm our Euphoria project who could mix electronic programming with Ken Ramm's acoustic and electric guitars. Somehow, Garry popped into my mind and he wound up beautifully producing both Euphoria records that we released on our label. Garry has gone on to work behind the scenes on many Six Degrees projects over the years, always with the utmost professionalism and consummate skill. I can honestly say that he is one of my favorite people to work with in this business. He is not only ridiculously talented and the owner of the greatest vintage keyboard collection in the world, he is a true gentleman.

Throughout our working relationship, I consistently encouraged Garry to come up with his own recording project that we could work together on and somewhere along the line, he pitched me on the concept of the Bombay Dub Orchestra . Garry had collaborated with string arranger Andrew T. Mackay (not to be confused with the sax player from Roxy Music) on a project in India and the two producer/musicians hatched the concept of a "chill out", electronic record which featured a full Indian orchestra. I think it took me all of about 2 seconds to say "let's do it" based on the concept and the calibre of the two men involved. While I have not known Andrew as long as Garry, he has also proven himself to be the kind of smart and talented partner that we love to work with.

Now that the band is about to release their excellent second album 3 Cities we all get to see this wonderful concept come to its full fruition. While I love the Bombay Dub Orchestra's self titled first release, 3 Cities moves to that difficult to achieve "next level" where all of the pieces of a very complex puzzle come together. It is almost as if Indian Orchestra's and electronic soundscapes were always meant to seamlessly come together. On this sophomore effort, the beats are more banging, the bass is fatter (or "phatter" if you prefer) and the compositions are even more tuneful and lovely than before.

Today's free download of "Journey" will give you a taste of the album's more downtempo moments but rest assured that the record is a multi-faceted musical trip filled with a variety of moods and tempos to soothe and move you.