Mahamaya Experience (feat. Ranjit Makkuni) – Samba Sitar | Track Review

Published by Mike Owen on September 30, 2022

The Mahamaya Experience trade extravagance for psychedelia on their fiery track, ‘Samba Sitar’.

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In an industry oversaturated with uninspired, pedestrian music, the contributions of Ranjit Makkuni and the Mahamaya Experience offer a much welcomed breath of fresh air. A true pioneer of the World Music scene, Makkuni’s enlightened composition and sophisticated sitar performances are a testament to his undying passion for both music and art.

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Displaying similar levels of innovation to those observed across both unconventionally structured tracks, ‘2 trains’ and ‘Durga Prayer’, ‘Samba Sitar’ is the latest track cut from Makkuni’s experimental cloth. Released in conjunction with its slower counterpart, ‘Samba Sitar’ sees the International multimedia artist in his element, with his distinct spontaneous sitar improvisation laying the mystical foundation for what is now considered his signature style.   

 

A renowned sitarist, Ranjit Makkuni is now combining his mystical sounds with more contemporary music.

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But expanding on his Southeast Asian influences, Makkuni’s latest effort sees him integrate the reverberating sympathetic strings into the vibrant ambience of the Brazilian Samba. Communicating the chromatic spectrum of the Amazon rainforest through his complex rhythmic patterns and tribal percussion, Makkuni’s flamboyant performance merges two distinct sounds, in turn carving a psychedelic trip, of which the assorted cadences beautifully portray the diversity which resides within the world’s most-varied biological reservoir.

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While his improvisational sitar skills are now a staple among the Mahamaya Experience, the speed at which the notes are plucked throughout ‘Samba Sitar’ is incredibly impressive – even by Makkuni’s standard! An arduous skill to master, not only does his brisk strumming complement the vitality of Samba Music, but also denotes just how versatile of an instrument the sitar can be. A chaotic, yet colourful experience, ‘Samba Sitar’ offers a dazzling delineation of both nature and freedom, with Makkuni’s psychedelic touch issuing the latest gem in his ever-expanding catalogue.