Exotic Dance

For Exotic Dance, Anugama is joined by Sebastiano for three percussion-focused pieces. The first two selections — at 14:10 and 4:44, respectively — are centered on African rhythms, while the final, 20-minute piece looks to the Arabic world for inspiration. All three tracks focus their energy on the bottom end but distribute tempo and melodic accoutrements in different ways. "African Journey" concentrates exclusively on its steadily thrumming tempo, built from the combined rhythms of between four and six percussion instruments. The album's shorter middle cut is "Dancing Tribe." Again, its tempo remains constant throughout. But here Anugama employs synth programming and a syncopated, percussive bassline, incorporating Western-style electronica atmospherics into the song's African rhythms. Instead of establishing its tempo out of the box, Exotic Dance's final track swirls along for a bit, moving steadily toward a final payoff with the aid of doumbec, finger cymbals, and another textured synthesizer melody. Anugama definitely seems to have mastered the subtleties of his genre, without resorting to cliché. The album is relaxing and meditative enough for therapeutic dance enthusiasts, but rhythmic enough for fans of belly or African dancing.