Philtre
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Overview
"Philtre means 'healing' or 'magic' potion and that's how I feel music."
Inspired by elements of all his recent projects, in particular his return to DJ'ing, Sawhney collated ideas for this album over several months in 2004, and by the time he locked himself away to record, found the music flowed more easily than ever.
The result is an astonishing collection of songs that take the listener on a journey through global club culture, Indian classical music, Bengali folk, traditional flamenco, blues, old soul and R&B. On Philtre, drum 'n' bass beats rub shoulders with sitars, flutes float over classical piano. Hip-hop, scratching, trip-hop, castanets and flamenco guitars sit alongside hypnotic strings and funky basslines. For vocals, Sawhney has sourced his strongest line-up to date, with Philadelphia-based Vikter Duplaix, Bollywood soundtrack star Reena Bhardwaj, Spanish collective Ojos de Brujo, Ninja Tune's Fink and human beatbox Jason Singh joining regular collaborators Tina Grace, Jayanta Bose, Taio and the soulful Sharon Duncan, as well as striking new discovery Jacob Golden and, on Rag Doll, even Sawhney's mum. The production, programming and arrangements are Sawhney's best yet and subtle links between songs give the album the feel of a film soundtrack or DJ set.
On Philtre, as on his previous albums, the songs have an intimate, emotional feel, but this time, they are driven by infectious grooves capturing the relentless energy of a dancefloor. In keeping with the music, lyrically, the album is largely upbeat and optimistic.
"I didn't want to be political," says Sawhney, who admits to being left-wing and has a political opinion on almost any subject you could mention. "I got so sick of hearing all these justifications for us going to war and being bombarded with misinformation. I was reading about global warming and it felt as though people were becoming almost a virus on our planet. It seemed to me that music is a universal way of getting us through all the daily crap."
Certainly, the future of music is safe in the hands of Sawhney. From the funky, Meters-inspired Flipside to the fiery fiesta that is Noches En Vela (Part 2), from the old soul of Throw to The Search's frantic finale and from the sweet, delicate Spark to the lush, multi-tracked Void, Philtre is a sublime reminder of the possibilities of music. Wildly ambitious, yet instantly accessible, pilfering the past and looking to the future, with Philtre, Sawhney has upped the ante all over again.
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Reviews
"His most assured, relaxed and successful work yet"
* * * * The Guardian
"His most free-flowing, natural and efortlessly impressive album to date"
* * * * * The Times
"Ambitious and accessible, Philtre rocks
all the boats and ticks all the boxes"
* * * * * The Sun
"Philtre is amazing!"
* * * * * Daily Star
"A record that recognises no boundaries"
* * * * * Songlines
"Big, bold and beautiful"
* * * * Daily Express
"Philtre is full of surprises"
- Time Out
"Sawhney has produced a beautifully
balmy album"
- Daily Telegraph
"Playful and upbeat in mood"
- Observer Music Monthly
"Bewitching & vivid"
- Q Magazine
"Well worth the wait"
- Music Week