Planet Passion

Ancient Future

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 14, 2002)
• Original Release Date: February 14, 2002
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Philo/Rounder
• ASIN: B00005V4ZP
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #419,748 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Simsimay Panima

2. Forest Frolic

3. I Mett Her in the Medowe, a

4. I Mett Her in the Medowe, b

5. Ocean of Love

6. Ochun

7. Semara

8. Alap

9. El Zaffa

10. Ne Po Pogrebu Bochonochek

11. Socha Socha, a

12. Socha Socha, b

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Ancient Future weren't the first to merge music from around the world, but they were the ones who coined the term world fusion. They've been living that vision for a quarter of a century. Now, after a nine-year silence, they've released another powerful reminder of that dream. The concept--songs of love drawing on global traditions--and packaging, including a space to write a love note, are a little hokey, but the music is anything but. India has always been at the heart of Ancient Future's world fusion. Founder and only remaining original member Matthew Montfort plays a special, scalloped fretboard acoustic instrument that lets him get the bends of an Indian sitar. He uses it to weave seductive melodies, and his exchanges with Indian sitarist Habib Khan on "Socha, Socha" are exhilarating. Singer Irina Mikhailova, from Medicine Tree and Lumin, is the first vocalist in Ancient Future. Singing in vocalese and her native Kazakh tongue, she is intoxicating. From the gamelan cycles of "Semara" to the exuberance of "Forest Frolic," Ancient Future is the sound of the global bazaar in ecstasy. --John Diliberto

Product Description

“Ancient Future certainly earns the 'ancient' in its name. The Bay Area band's first world beat album was released way back in 1979, making these artists a sort of Rolling Stones of fusion music. And on the evidence of ‘Planet Passion,’ they've still got that 'future' ahead of them. Nobody does a better job assimilating Asian music genres and combining them with an American coffee house acoustic sensibility. Sure, I'm snobby about usually preferring to grapple with original source material from Indonesia, China, et al, discordant harmonies and all. But there are also times I just want to relax with the smooth and dreamy soundscapes Ancient Future whips up to a froth. Led by Matthew Montfort's often jazzy guitar, the ensemble excels at lots of foreign genres while still having the good sense not to try to do everything themselves. Guests including Manose Singh on bansuri flute, Ustad Habib Khan on sitar and Liu Qi-Chao on Chinese flute up the authenticity quotient without disturbing the homogeneity. That's not to suggest anything like dumbing down is involved. Montfort's ‘Forest Frolic’ is an aptly named romp for flutes, guitar, and percussion that blazes like a bluegrass number. ‘Ocean of Love’ with its reggae-inflected Afro-Slavic groove isn't your off-the-cuff concoction. And demonstrating that future is also past, the gamelan-esque ‘Semara’ stars the band's original line-up with the inimitable Mindia Klein on bansuri flute. Shamelessly beautiful, ‘Planet Passion’ is easily the pinnacle of this group's long career.” – Bob Tarte, THE BEAT

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Only gets better with time!, May 15, 2002

By A Customer

Yeah, these guys really do just keep getting better. And the album is the same! I discover something new every time I listen. There are so many wonderful musical moments on this CD, beautifully blended with the most amazing array of instruments I've every heard. Guitar, sitar, bansuri, Chinese instrumentation, loads of quirky percussion and hauntingly beautiful vocals delivered so pristinely!

For fans of world fusion, I can't recommend an album or a group more strongly. The album combines lilting Celtic moments, Russian folksongs, Arabic dances and flowing Asian melodies. The members of Ancient Future are consummate, professional musicians and composers. It is truly refreshing to hear real musicians playing real instruments. It lifts the spirit and gives me hope that music can survive the age of computerization and Mickey Mouse performers!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luscious audio romance, September 27, 2002

By	S Brown (Berkeley, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This varying crew of great talents give us a clever sequence of songs from different cultures, depicting progressive stages of love -- flirtation through courtship and eventually to a more spiritual "longing for the beloved". Moods and instrumentation are typically light-hearted, lending themselves to more traditional visions of romance. I particularly like: The guitar solos (Matthew Montfort) on I Met Her in the Medowe; The lilting vocal chant (Irina Mikhailova) on Ocean of Love (more complex, a deeper exchange of feelings); the exotic instrumental mix, including flute and gamelan, on the meditative Semara; and a playful but low-key Seduction song, Ne Po Pogrebu Bochonochek, again featuring the lovely voice of Irina.

The packaging is a cute concept too: There's a big heart-shaped space for your personal love note if you give this CD as a gift.
(They ask you to send your own love story if this music helps it along!)

An easy, seductive listen with impeccable performances and engineering.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Food for the Soul, September 15, 2002

By	Debra Hoiem (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

If music is the food of love, then feast on "Planet Passion."

Ancient Future has definitely hit a high-water mark with this CD. Matthew Montfort has assembled a fantastic group of musicians (sitar, violin, tabla, vocals, percussionists and many more) for this World Fusion CD. I especially like the flute work and Matthew's guitar is compelling.

Each piece ties into the next, telling the universal story of love, courtship and longing. After several listenings, I enjoy it more each time (especially with the lights out and being with someone I love)

The final cut, "Socha Socha." has me longing for more.