Essence: excerpt from exclaim issue feb 26 2003 review

by Denise Benson

Fans of the Interchill , Instinct and Dakini Labels will be familiar with the West coast based producer,musician and Dj Adham Shaikh. Though perhaps best known as part of the four-member collective Ekko (their Brilliant 1999 Centripetal release remains a personal favourite),Shaikh has been creating both solo and collaborative efforts for the past 15 years. He’s a true producer, brilliant at pulling peoples’ talents together and insightfully committed to his vison of electronics meeting organic (often ancient) instrumentation. Essence is gorgeous ,daring and respectful, blending the globally renowned bansuri (indian bamboo flute) playing of Catherine Potterr with the beat contributions of monteal producer Freeworm , dubwise skills of Sean Hillll, flute stylings of artist Jean-Marc Guillemette, percussion of Yasmine Amal, and much more.”Somptin Hapnin (water in me) “dubs and flows and shakes as vocalist Kinnie Starr pays tribute to water, trees and life. “Sabadhi” cements Shaikh’s reputation for producing finely tuned,ambient loveliness while its sister masterpiece “Sabadub” offers a more beat-heavy , dub-wise treatment of bansuri , bermibau, and viola.

Adham also beautifully balances traditional and experimental, natural and organic during “Sufi Spin”. Here, recordings of Balinese dancing, chanting and flute meet complex beats , the tabla playing of Ekkos’ E.Shankar , and thick grooves , resulting in a deep , heartfelt, engaging whole.

Essence also showcases Adham’s remix skills, with solid treatments of both Ekko’s shiraz (the albums most up-tempo number) and Lisa Walker’s Orca whale-inspired. “Orcadrift”. But it’s the with his dubbed-out reworking of Legion of Green Men’s “Consellation” that Shaikh really cuts loose , adding tension,builds , and thick slabs of bass. Its a massive treatment that’s as true to the original as it is fresh to the ear.

Realignment: excerpt from xlr8r issue 9 1994 review

This new release from Canadian adham shaikh is quite remarkable and length. – Most tracks run 20 minutes. His selections of noises and structures are unique and intriguing.

Some tracks are soft yet very densely layered, uplifting ambient pillows to dream on. Other tracks seem to reside in a haunting eerie darkness of beautifully strange frequencies and tribal tendencies. The first track “Pulsation (Oscillation Vibration) ” begins and ends with a soft spacey techno pace. What lies in the middle are pleasant layers of noises, frequencies and feelings that on might experience leaving the earth’s atmosphere, orbiting rapidly around an aimlessly wandering asteroid and then re-entering the atmosphere!

Track tow “Quazar” could be a soundtrack to a very groovy cyber (and yes ambient) film not yet in existence. This track seems to be made with certain images in mind. Track 3 “Oberon (grey matter)” is a wonderful supplement for any environment. What begins as slightly electronic and austere goes through very subtle changes right before your ears and before you realize it you have been floating forever with only love and clouds in your mind.

Track 4 “alternate spectrum (transmission)” is a nice combination and balance of seemingly organic sounds and very electronic sounds. This track isn’t as long as the others but just as powerful and developed. All the music on Adham shaikh’s CD appears to have been designed to take the listener to specific places with specific feelings.

The music is moody and full of many brilliantly executed transitions from the deep dark and eerie to the beautiful and heavenly. These types of transitions could come across as awkward and amateur, but seem very very natural here.