The most progressive volume to date from Water Music’s Tantra Lounge series - the compilation is filled with dubby-jazz and prog electro styles paired with Bali’esque South Asian instrumentation and vocals. From the very beginning of the album, tablas and sitars rock steadily with standard jazz instrumentation, transistor turntablism, and dubbed-out-downtempo drum loops. This style is also featured later with Mister Koffy’s So Much Class. After the introduction selection from Naked Rhythm (track 1), Angel Tears comes in with the loopy/classical South Asian sound of Marrakesh. Najma Akhtar, Mazachigno, and Session Twelve follow with their progressive downtempo/electro accompanied by more classical South Asian instrumentation.

Already, there is an obvious difference in the overall sound of this compilation compared to the previous Tantra Lounge precursors - that difference being the Western jazz influence heard in the construction of the compositions. The style absolutely permeates most of the selections, and it is clearly evident that there are drastic changes taking place within the genre itself.

For instance, Zohar’s Midnight at the Bazaar pairs smoky jazz piano with South Asian orchestral samples and percussion, while Omar Faruk Tekbilek & Steve Shehan take a deeper jazzy downtempo progression and experiment with the afore mentioned classical South Asian orchestra and Punjabi vocals. Also pairing beautiful Punjabi vocals with a more progressive and heavier arrangement is V-Ness’ Devi-V. Medival Punditz travels deeper into the auspiciously classical instrumentation of sitar and bansuri flute - this selection is by far the most instrumentation oriented song, and one of my personal favorites. Electronica fueled neo jazz shall not be forgotten as Tetris’ Pink Elephant follows - And Niyaz’s massive droning-electro orchestral sound and soaring Punjabi vocals of Nahan is enough to test any club sound system. Karminsky Experience Inc and Donna De Lory rock out the final selections on the album with upbeat dance-floor-friendly pop-rhythms.

It appears that Water us well into their Junior success, the series appears to be on the move. It will be interesting to see just where volume four will take us on this every-evolving journey. The only reserve I have is for this series is: Where are the Holmes Ives and Dhamaal Soundsystem selections, and when can we expect them? Only time shall tell - onward and upward!