Fusing Naked Beats - Witness of the World

The nude DJ/producer duo of DJ Asif and Maarti continue their musical journey through the world, dispensing with the chaff and moving on to newer pastures each time. They have recorded three albums in 3 years and that's impressively prolific stuff, especially when we find ourselves 10 years on, waiting for Talvin to drop his ‘AN' album [so called to complete the spelling of 'Anokha' - between the titles of his solo releases - Editor].

In any case, Fusing Naked Beats set the tone with a slow Arabic-influenced song that has sarod echoing over some mid-tempo hip-hop drums. You start to wonder whether Fusing Naked Beats have gone all ambient on us. A few songs later, the schizophrenia continues with a hip-hop banger, starring Swami's S-Endz, Swami Baracus and Elite Team's very own Mic Assassin.

This is an album highlight for an old hip-hop head like me as you get to hear some nice braggadocious rhymes over some booming drums. The rest of the album is great for those who love their Arabic-flavoured house as this is the album's focus.

It's not really my thing, and as far as my personal tastes go, this is my least favourite of the Fusing Naked Beats albums. That's not to say I think it's not good. I think they do an excellent job of creating Arabic-tinged soundscapes for the drums to clatter underneath and I can see how club fans will love this album over others. However, being someone who likes beats and breaks and drums and melodies and the voice, what with being a vocalist and all, I was hoping for more lyrics.