Search - Ash Dargan :: Wild Australia

Fascinating music -- really different, really good

Dick K | Centreville, VA United States | 08/30/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I discovered Ash during a trip to Australia. Hearing the music in a store I finally asked what they were playing and this was it. I bought it and one other of his and really enjoy them both as a souvenier of the trip and some really interesting music. Ash is an aboriginal native of Oz and truly an expert on the digeridoo. Now that's an instrument that sounds strange to my western ears but intriguing as well. This CD both shows his skill on the digeridoo but also shows his skills with a lot of very modern stuff, mainly here, on the electronic keyboards. As such, purists of aboriginal music may not find it satisfying but it makes it very listenable to a wider audience--or so it seems to me anyway.



The style of music is generally very upbeat and most tracks mix the digeri with other instruments with a nice interplay of rhythm among them. Rarely do digeries dominate but they're always there. It's most unfortunate that there aren't any listenable samples because I really can't properly describe the music in a way that does it justice.



If you're curious about the instrument, the artist or Australian music, this is a good introduction -- just keep in mind that its intended as aboriginal music for the non-purists.



Side note: the other CD I picked up isn't here at Amazon but it appears much like several that are, and they're more traditional in style. Interesting, I tend to think whichever one I'm listening to at the moment is "best" :)"