Robin Denselow 

Fanfara Tirana Meets Transglobal Underground: Kabatronics – review

An Albanian military band join forces with British dance mavericks for a very successful fusion project, writes Robin Denselow
  
  


There have been some patchy fusion sets this year, but here's an experiment that actually works. Fanfara Tirana consists of members of the military band of the Albanian armed forces, who play for weddings and parties when not on official duties, and bravely decided to team up with British global dance mavericks Transglobal Underground. The result is a highly entertaining clash of Albanian brass and beats, with unexpected echoes of India or the Caribbean added in. It starts with an unearthly blast of trumpets, woodwind and vocals, driven on by furious Indian dhol percussion, guitars and loop effects. Then Jamaican dancehall invades the Balkan party scene as singer Tuup intones, "I hope the rude boys don't bring their guns to the wedding", before the two bands move on for a furious clash of brass and sitar, or epic laments that would make great film music. The best Transglobal offering since Moonshout.

 

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