Album: System
Artiste: Seal
Available on: EMI
System is Grammy-winning vocalist and songwriter Seal’s fifth studio album. Over the course of a career of 15 years, London-born Seal has crafted an image as an ethereal balladeer with a soulful crooner. He first emerged form Britain’s house music scene in the early 1990s providing vocals and lyrics for techno artist Adamski’s 1990 hit ‘Killer.’ His debut single, ‘Crazy’ earned him critical acclaim and worldwide success.

Seal’s new album is a departure of his familiar mid-tempo pop music. It’s an album with driving, electronic beats the likes of which he hasn’t explored since his classic 1991 self-titled debut album. It is a dance-friendly club sound.There is an excellent melding of electronics and guitars throughout the album. But the sonic changes doesn’t take away from Seal’s vocal and lyrical style.

‘The Right Life’ is a track with trance-like feel that‘s reminiscent of some of the best early ‘80s dance music. ‘Loaded’ has an ‘80s style synthesiser breakdown. ‘Dumb’ is a mix of jangly acoustic guitar and hand-clappy percussion which would appeal to the club crowd.  ‘Wedding Day’ is a duet with his wife, supermodel Heidi Klum. Their voices actually complement each other. Perhaps she wants to go the supermodel Naomi Campbell way, who has also tried singing. ‘Rolling’ is a slow dramatic acoustic ballad and ‘Immaculate’ is also a slow number in an album which has largely dance-pop roots with a contemporary update.

Album: Golden Keerthana (Vol1&2)
Artiste: Dr M Balamuralikrishna
Available on: Fountain
One of the advantages of technology is that if you have missed a concert of your favourite classical artiste, you get to both hear and see it, if it is recorded. Dr M Balamuralikrishna live in concert at Dr Ambedkar Bhavan in Bangalore presented by Ranjani Kala Kendra on May 25, 2007 is now available on DVD.

In Volume I, the doyen begins with Muthuswamy Dixitar’s ‘Vaatapi Ganapatimpaje’ in raga Hamsadhwani, aadi taala. His rendition brings out the subtle nuances embedded in the composition. He follows it up with Tyagaraja’s ‘Yandaro Mahanubhavulu’ in Sree Raga, aadi taala and ‘Devadhideva’ in Sunaad Vinodhini raga and ‘Taala beeku’ in Bhairavi raga, aadi taala.

In Volume 2, the singer has eight shorter renditions -  Tyagaraja’s ‘Nagumoomu Ganaleeni’ in Aabheri raga, aadi taala; Purandaradasa’s ‘Jagathoodharana’, in Kaapi raga, aadi taala; Annamayya’s composition ‘Narayanate’; Ramdas’s ‘Paluke Bangaramayena’ in Ananda Bhairavi; Pevare Ramarasam; Jayadeva’s (Ashtapadi) ‘Radhika Krishna Radhika’ in Janasambhodini raga.

Dr Balamuralikrishna also sings two of his own popular compositions - ‘Thomtadari’ (Thillana) in Mallika taala and ‘Sangeethama’ in Kalyani raga.

The doyen is accompanied by Mysore Manjunath (violin), Vidwan H S Sudhindra (mridangam), B S Purushottam (khanjira) and Omkar Rao (ghatam) in both the volumes.