Almost exactly a year ago I was blown on my ass by a track called The Gathering from Project Overseer, a name I was to become very familiar with since. Chris Bishop (for it is he) as well as being a talented musician and producer also runs the increasingly popular POP website where live reviewing becomes a spectactor sport. Don't get many of them in a pound ya know. The thing that ties The Gathering and POP into this review is my favourite Indian export Prashant Vadhyar, more commonly known to Soundclick regulars as Prash. He is also one of the very, very few Soundclick artists whose music I consistently find worth keeping - regardless of genre.

You're Almost There isn't exactly a Prash/Project O collab. What Prash has done is taken - to my mind anyway - one of the highlights of The Gathering (the percussion track) and reworked it to sound more...well Prash-like I guess. Anyone who has heard a Prash track will know what I am saying, this guy has a western rock sensibility that makes listening a real pleasure. In many ways, I missed the lyrical content, because I have to take a lot broader view of the track than that, so it would definitely have helped to have some lyrics posted. Nonethless, the feel of You're Almost There is right on the money and there is no doubt it IS a Prash track, with just a dab of Project Overseer to salt the mix.

I'm not sure if this is Prash himself on vocals but whoever it is, they are doing a bang up job although admittedly that wasn't what I thought on the first listens. The vocal style on this elegant, pop rock confection takes a bit of getting used to, it's lightness has to seep into your brain before you start to go all gooey. However, after having put substantial plays on the clock I feel this is up there with some of Prash's best stuff. Although a track like this wouldn't normally have me - it's a bit more pop ballad than pop rock if you know what I mean - I still found myself sliding into those 'oooh' sections as if they had always been part of the furniture.

A beautiful song, and then some.

Prash, as regular readers are nauseatingly aware, is a great favourite of mine. Here's a musician I liked from the very first track and he's delivered consistently good material and performances ever since. The list of Prash tracks that have stuck to my hard drive almost match the amount of tracks of his that I have reviewed and - I'm pretty sure - I can't say that about too many other artists on Soundclick. Part of that must be down to Prash's musical leanings towards the same forms of musical style that I particularly cherish; rock and world music. A much greater part comes from this self-taught guitarists own inner talent, which is prodigious. He's already into tv backgrounds and jingles, film arrangements, music production for online games, ringtones and God knows what all else.

Prashant Vadhyar is from Mumbai, India who grew up liking music in Hindi films, Western rock, jazz and blues and it shows in his intense attention to musical detail no matter which genre he is working in. Sweet Dreams is a classic example of the man's ineffable style; a mellow treat with a vocoded vocal track that owes much to the work of Roger Troutmann. The music, though, is pure Prash. Cool, infinitely varied and brimming with great ideas, Sweet Dreams is another in a very long line of perfect Prash tracks.

Well, maybe not perfect but damn near close to it.

There was a time when I found myself wondering where the track was going and at least once where I felt it had kinda lost the point but - believe me - this is pretty small change. There's an aural fastidiousness about Prash's work that has always fascinated me and Sweet Dreams is a classic example of it. Almost everything you hear is the man himself, and he supplies some pretty tasty licks throughout. Although billed as electronica, I'd say this was MUCH more of a guitar track, although it would probably fit handily in a couple of other genres too. That, to me, is the final defining thing about this remarkable artist - a man for all genres.

Top Tune. (but you knew that)

Prash is one of the very, very few Soundclick artists who has yet to put a foot wrong for this reviewer. 2004 is peppered with brilliant Prash tracks from Delusions Of Grandeur (reviewed April 2004) to A Longing Unfulfilled (November 2004). Prashant Vadhyar (that's Prash to you) is a guitarist, a songwriter and producer whose time to be recognised must surely come. Don't believe me? Have a listen to any of the 17 tracks on his website and then come back and pick a fight with me, if ya can. From some of the most intense blends of western and Indian styles (Tu Saat Samundaro Ke Paar Hain and others) to straightforward power rock (yes Raaawwwkkkk!) this guy can do it in such style it takes your breath away.

The Old Fashioned Way will do exactly that too, and all within the space of a few bars.

It's chilled, lolloping rhythm and cool electrovocal style ensures that you'll come away from listening to this with a disgustingly broad grin all over your face. Even after playing this track to death I have yet to pin down just exactly who the track reminds me of, but there are just too many names. Like Weep For The Demise Of Rock, The Old Fashioned Way is a textbook example of structure, pacing and dynamics. To be accurate the dynamics are more 'lying on your back in brilliant sunshine with an iced drink at your side' than 'wham that sucker upside the head' but are a strong emotional pull nonetheless.

The thing that really does it every time with Prash is this guys unerring ability to nail the genre, time after time after time. I admit to some great surprise to see that people still haven't really gotten a grip on this very special, and highly individualistic artist. Maybe it's because he's so good it's scary - or at least that's what I think. He scares the beejeebus out of me, and I'm not afraid to admit it. SO do yourself a favour and get to know this artist, I can garantee a certain lightness of being and happiness - especially with this elegant, beautifully performed track. I do hope that 2005 will prove to be the year that Prash finally makes a breakthrough on this site - and hopefully the RW - because it's more than time for him to get the recognition he so truly deserves.

Couldn't recommend it highly enough...

At first glance, Tu Saat (to make it manageable you understand) is a return to Prash's Indian roots with a splash of trance dance and the eensiest dollop of Bollywood. Mmmmm, sounds juicer than a nice Balti doesn't it. Again, this guy makes my jaw drop. Tu Saat is an exquisite work vocally and musically, veering from genre to genre with consummate ease along the way generating an unstoppable momentum. The dynamics in this track are positively outstanding. From the percussive world music feel of the intro section you know this is a special track (think a dark Bollywood sound) which leads seamlessly into an experimental sounding section that works like clockwork at ratcheting up the tension. By the time it comes to rock out (around 2:10) you are so wound up you dent the walls and ceilings as you are released. A class track is a class track and this is a peach...

Must Have. Hear that? M-U-S-T H-A-V-E An overwhelming experience.

I don?t usually go in for Trance tunes & I don?t often download many tunes from Electromancer that are labelled ?Trance?. To me Trance as a genre is tarnished by all the rank ditties that blast there way into the Top Ten every other week! Nine times out of Ten they?re mindless rehashes of the last blaster, and are fronted by divas, fat blokes or skinny princesses ?
? ?Sunrays? by Prash is nothing like all those rank ditties. It has warmth, beauty & a real summery vibe, which is perfect for sorting you out on cold wintery mornings like today?s. I like the fact that it is a little bit rough around the edges (I think the phonky beat provides that vibe) & is not overly polished like many of the aforementioned rank turds out there!

The track begins with a simple kick, which is soon joined by a simple, but rather marvellous driving bassline. Next some luverly swoony synths join the throng & take you away to a desert island in the middle of the ocean. The beat then builds up with some claps & taps, before the track really starts to soar ? ?Sunrays? really is a very apt title for this tune, it is very up & groovy.

Prash has constructed a perfectly formed 4 minute wonder of a tune, I?ve just had it on repeat about 4 times & I still want to go back for more. Get downloading this track NOW, and feel the mood of Summer take you over ? HOORAH!

If the name of this artist isn't known to you, shame on you. Especially if you've been around on Soundclick for some time, or if you are a regular reader. As you already know, Prash has been a preferred taste of mine ever since I first reviewed Delusions of Grandeur in April of this year. Since then he's delivered a steady flow of tracks (Sailing Into Nothing, Darkest Before Dawn, the immaculate Weep For The Demise Of Rock and last months superb My Baby Is A Fine Wine) of top notch quality and musical expertise.

The really peculiar thing is that Prash has scored all these hits with me; almost all of them being western music tracks. I say this because Prash is actually from Mumbai, India - not a place renowned for it's rock roots. At first, I admit that I did question Prash's genre ranking as World music before realising that he is doing what I am doing - in reverse. Where artists like myself (and what seems like several million others) pick and borrow from Indian music, he - as an Indian - picks and borrows from our music. Seems somehow fitting, doesn't it? I'd say that alone should merit him getting a World classification. It helps, of course, that he makes some blistering good tunes - even if they are in an idiom we can all readily appreciate.

Out of all the tracks I have heard from this talented and multi-faceted musician, very few of them show his own roots - and A Longing Unfulfilled carries on in that fine tradition. Boasting a piano sound McCartney would have killed for, this track is remarkably deceptive. Light and simple on first hearing, complex and deep with further listening - don't let the gentle intro fool you. Carrying an almost classical feel, A Longing Unfilfilled is exactly what it says on the tin; sad, wistful and full of 'if only...' moments. Although I found myself questioning a couple of the samples used (a bit too MIDI GM for my taste) the track itself is faultless. Music of a sweetness and lightness that isn't heard too often; much less the stunningly delivered semi-classical piano progressions in the last couple of minutes. One thing you can say about Prash, he's always fresh, full of ideas (most of which work) and an amazing ability to put music together in a different way. A Longing Unfulfilled should find a home on any discerning hard drive.

Top Notch.

If there is one thing that has surprised me this year it is the emergence (or maybe I haven't noticed it) of a whole new breed of electronic artists; artists more interested in making music than 'beatz' or its offshoot - riches and bitches. Two years ago I wouldn't have looked twice at most of the music in this genre but I gotta say that the new artists are REALLY stretching the bounds of the term electronica.

And I like that.

Although I found a few artists working in the genre interesting mostly it was pure bombast; all mouth and no trousers. The last year on Soundclick has definitely turned that idea right around, and now I actively look forward to hearing tracks from this growing band, and none more so than Prash who - so far - has an absolutely faultless batting average as far as I am concerned. Having said all that, let me do my usual contradictory thing here and let you know straight away that Weep Over The Demise is NOTHING WHATSOEVER like anything you've heard from Prash before.

Classic rock, would you believe??

Weep is a seriously good - and very, very authentic sounding - rock track done in such a lush, wide open style, it'll take your breath away. This is the kind of track I expect from our friends in America, so spot on its the genre fit. Maybe it'll come as a surprise then that Prash is from Mumbai, India. I swear, if you didn't know, you would automatically assume this track had a western lineage. That, my friends, takes real talent and is also the real key to why I took to this artist from the very first. We share musical passions about the different musical worlds and their ultimate blendability. This track is a massive feather in Prash's cap not least because it's a great rock track, but because it shows the extent of this mans love for his music. Those people who never get to read this review will just hear a great rock track in a fine, fine tradition - YOU have the backstory that makes it much more interesting a prospect. So what are you waiting for?

Weep is what you will do if you don't hear this. A Must Have.

Since I've been reviewing here on SoundClick, I must say that I've come across some absolutely fantastic artists - music that I would willingly pay for had it been released on commercially available CDs.

However, the fact that the vast majority of this music is free really does make it all the more sweeter (none of that guilty conscience about not paying etc!). Some of the best music that I've come across, or tracks that have really stood out to me as something special I've compiled into my radio station (Wired).

Therefore, praise and thanks must go out to those of you that have helped me to fill my computer with quality music - including the following artists:

Inder Nirwan, Cosmicall, MD Machine, DJ Spid, Adam Fielding, Opal Tonic, DCallen, Downtempo Pilots, Smashed Toy, Fahrenheit 451, The Silence Experiment, Refrag, Prash, DJ Messyman, Bondango, Lisa, Laura, Deep & Dark, Heist

Of course, this is just a small selection - but these guys and gals are all the main highlights in my current MP3 collection!

Hats off to you all - keep up the great work!

This 3:16 minute piece starts out with a nice piano sequence. The vocals set in just about immediately. The vocals sound great. The mix and the composition impresses me even more when the bass sets in, as well as the percussion. There is definitely a nice mix between the classical pop and the modern, electronica world. You will agree when you listen to the instrumentation.

The lyrics are nicely presented and flawless in execution by this vocalist. This really is somewhat of a dreamy song. This tune is borderline smooth R&B, if you listen and be honest. Well, some of you might say that some of the instruments are not part of R&B, but listen to the tune. There is a definite potential for a very smooth R&B composition there. Nevertheless, I think that the artist chose the appropriate genre for this tune.

Very mellow music, very mellow vocals and lyrics and all around a very nice tune!!!

I will most certainly listen to this one again!

Nice job, Prash!!!

I first made Prash's musical acqaintance last month when I reviewed Delusions of Grandeur which I absolutely loved because of its World music groove. Ah, bert Gilmore, you cry, that is WHY you like it so much. It's in my field after all, right? Well, so is the bullshit in this field too, so no matter what a track either makes it happen or it doesn't - same as in any other genre. THAT was the reason I liked Delusions; itr's a bloody fine piece of music in any genre.

So now I'm expecting more of the same, hee hee.

Sailing into Nothing starts off much the same as Delusions, in fact running the two tracks together is a pizza cake. As I fired the track up I noticed that this wasn't just a Prash track, it also featured someone called Nishant who - it turns out - is a male singer of convincing depth and emotion. A (very slight) musical reference here would be Nusraht Ali Khan without the fireworks if you get my drift. It isn't actually a vocal - at least not that I know, more a collection of vocal tones - but what vocal tones. Liquid honey this stuff and no mistake.

Top marks again for Prash for making a track that is accessible, exciting and yet remain true to its roots. World music at its best. I haven't looked at the World charts on Soundclick for a while (too depressing, sob, sob cue violins) but I'd be well surprised if Prash isn't featuring in there somewhere and if he isn't then that situation needs rectifying right fast. Two excellent tracks in a row now from Prash and I definitely expect great things from this very competent musician.

Want your ears loved up? Headphone jobbie this....

From the opening string figure to the last bowed outro, Delusions is a work of great charm and beauty, it's musical roots show clearly but this is so much more than the sum of its parts. It's the intense and very uplifting high this track gives you that is its main quality, it's rare to find such great melds of cultures and this is definitely one of the more adept ones its been my pleasure to hear. Musically, I am stunned at the emotional power of such simple, yet beautifully stated phrases. In arrangement this is really the dogs danglies because - to me - sustaining a coherent, gripping musical narrative is hard enough but getting it to be as vivid as it is really knocks me out.

As I wrote this review I browsed his website and had a quick listen to a couple of tracks - just to see whether what I was hearing was a fluke. T'ain't. The boy knows his onions from his greens - the production is tight, punchy and the musical nous is right there with it. Definitely an artist to be keeping an eye on, although I have to admit to HUGE bias because Prash works in a genre beloved by this reviewer - World music. Judging from the tracks on his page though, he may well be a serial genre bender and I welcome him as a brother. A hugely interesting artist I will be checking out a lot further and I suggest you do the same.

Excellent guitar in the opening, which does not last very long, but it’s nice.

We’re just immediately introduced to the whole compliment of the band and the vocalist. First, let me point out that this one of the more excellent productions I’ve heard here on SoundClick. No kidding!! Don’t believe me? You go out and listen to this tune.

The vocals and lyrics are well received… the whole tune so far is on the mellow side of rock music, but don’t be fooled I love the guitar solo, setting in 1:16 of this only 3:22 minute song. Beautifully mixed in with the other instruments.

Time to wake up out of your lull !!!! It’s rock time at 1:57. That’s a very rocky piece, which does not last very long and goes back to a mellow kind of rock, accompanied by strings. That, by the way, is a very nice touch!!!

The best review for you listeners out there, you could ever have, would be to listen to this track over and over again!! I personally love it!! A very well conceived composition for this genre, appealing lyrics and vocals and the production is nearly flawless!!!! Not a thing to complain about this track whatsoever!!!

A must listen!!!

Bring out that old-retro keyboard! Pop is very much the order here as we jet off to the sunny beaches of Ibiza and slap that uplifting piece of vinyl onto the turntables! I can just see the party goers sunbathing on the beaches now! Pure disco - that's the general vibe I'm getting from this; and it sounds bloody marvellous!

What gets me about this is how catchy it is! Yes, it's commerical, yes it's cheesey in some places - but when you get tracks as uplifting and dance-able as this one you really find yourself not giving a damn! Yes folks, indeed - I loved this! From the piano riffs to the vocals I found myself hooked. This really is pure disco that immediately makes me picture swimming pools, sunshine, bikini-clad babes getting down and dirty on the dancefloor. Getting the picture yet?

I'm on my third listen to this now and I haven't even finished writing yet! Okay, okay - down-points: well, the one I have is that, just possibly, the starting piano line didn't sound quite right with the beat and, again possibly, the vocals suffering a little of the 'out of sync' problem. But after 00:44 it's all roses; maybe however that's just me. Seriously though, if you love disco-pop, Ibiza style then this is an absolute must download! Anything that makes you feel good and want to forward time to the summer holiday season has got to be good!

Beat: 9/10
Sustaining Listeners Interest: 10/10
Groove: 9.5/10 (the only thing stopping a 10 on this was a couple of parts of the piano I was a little unsure of)

Overall: 9/10
Possibly the highest rating for a tune I've given? If so, deservedly so. It may be cliched and may not be the most original song ever, but what it is is a brilliant, feel-good track that hits that 'summer-vibe' feel right on its proverbial head! A real foot-tapper and something I could oh-so see being played at a beach party. Love disco? Then download this right now! Any chance of an extended version?