Monday, October 9, 2017

In Parallel (2017), by Dhani Harrison

thenewno2 and Fistful of Mercy member Dhani Harrison finally steps out on his own, and the result is quite – something.

While Dhani’s vocal resemblance to his late father is uncannily surreal, make no mistake – this is not your father’s Harrison (or your Harrison), nor is it Dhani’s father.

What sets Dhani apart from the other Beatles’ children who have followed in their fathers’ musical footsteps is the fact that Dhani is not aping his ancestor, and that is a very good thing. Where the elder Harrison found his voice in folksy, spiritual pop-rock balladry, Dhani is clearly creating his own sonic stamp, and it is a stunning and mesmerizing one at that.

The music is epic and darkly cinematic in scope, ebbing and flowing with pulsating synthesizers, deeply penetrating bass lines, entrancing and hypnotic beats, and flashes of fiery electric guitar. The result is very modern and dynamic, combining elements of George Harrison, Sting, Andy Summers, Moby, Hans Zimmer, and Tom Holkenberg (aka Junkie XL), all filtered through Dhani's vision and artistry.

While Dhani has succeeded in establishing his own unique musical identity, his father’s influence – as well as, to a lesser extent, that of longtime family friend Jeff Lynne – can be heard throughout, most notably on “The Light Under the Door,” “All About Waiting,” and “Admiral of Upside Down.”

The spirit and voice of his father live on through Dhani Harrison as he builds upon a great legacy and takes it in bold, new, and exciting directions.

--Raj Manoharan

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