NAJMA
Vivid (Mondo Melodia)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

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I've been sitting on this one for about a year, and now I'm finally ready to review it. At the time Vivid was released, it shocked Najma's fans who had come to expect legitimate Indian pop music with generous helpings of eastern rhythms and melodies. What Vivid delivered was something quite different. While I can't recommend this to people who want classic Namja, I have to admit it does have something that will appeal to fans of eastern-flavored electronica. After all, it's a fabrication of synthesizers and drum machines, with the true stars being vocalist Najma and composer Richard Grassby-Lewis, who call this music "Indian Gothic," though I don't see the connection to anything "gothic." What I do hear is some fascinating electronic soundscapes cradling Najma's hauntingly beautiful voice (oh... hauntingly. Maybe that's what they meant!) and the hypnotic drive of the sequenced drums. A very nice combination if you're in the mood for such a thing. Vivid will be slammed forever because most critics have an unwritten rule: you're screwed if you try something completely different. Of course, you're also screwed if you always stay the same. Sometimes it's a good idea to simply judge an album against others of its genre, and this stacks up nicely in that light.

© 2004 - DJ Johnson