VA - World is India

Tracklist:

1. Fun-Da-Mental - Mother India
2. Asha Bhosle - Jab Chhaye Mera Jadoo
3. Rahul Dev Burman - Mehbooba, Mehbooba
4. Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra - Punjabi Lullaby
5. Ursula 1000 - Ram Balram
6. Black Star Liner - Yemen Cutta Connection Dub
7. Shah Brothers and Dan The Automator - Bombay 405 Miles
8. Panjabi MC - Beware Of The Boys (Mundian to Bach Ke)
9. Tabla Beat Science - Palmistry
10. Sukhwinder Singh and Sapna Awasthi - Chaiyya Chaiyya
11. Lata Mangeshkar - Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiye
12. Mohammed Rafi - Aaj Mausam Bada Be-Iman Hai
13. Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman - Konkani Memories
14. Mukesh - Jis Gali Mein Tera Ghar
15. Ravi Shankar - Pather Panchali

"World is India" is an excellent compilation of Indian music, from Bollywood hits to Asian Underground trip-hop beats. It's an amazing musical masala. It can easily be paired with Putumayo's more acoustic Putumayo Presents: India and this New Agey album that blends traditional Indian music with natural sounds India: inner peace through music and nature sounds Surprisingly, "World is India" is a blend from Starbucks. It's a follow-up to World Is Africa which was sold to support Project RED to combat HIV/AIDS.

"World is India" opens with the trip-hop of Fun-Da-Mental, with its feminist ode "Mother India." The singers praise Khadija (Muhammad's first wife), the Queen of Sheba, Savriti of The Mahabharata (Penguin Classics), and various Indian queens. Filmi singer Asha Bhosle sings "Jab Chhaye Mera Jadoo." Her husband, Rahul Dev Burman, sings the evocative "Mehooba, Mehooba." Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra provides the rhythmic instrumental Punjabi Lullaby. Shah Brothers and Dan the Automator have the funky "Bombay 405 Miles." Panjabi MC remixes the theme to Knight Rider: The Complete Series… and his "Beware of the Boys" was later remixed by Jay-Z. Tabla Beat Science has the intense "Palmistry." Lata Mangeshkar sings the traditional hymn to Vishnu, Gandhi's favorite devotional song. "Kookani Memories" by Debashish Bhattacharya and Bob Brozman blends Indian and Hawaiian slide guitar. Imagine a tiki bar in New Delhi. The closing song is a powerful instrumental from Ravi Shankar, the Eastern mentor to the Beatles' George Harrison. It's the theme to Pather Panchali It's meditative, contemplative, perfectly summing up the appeal of India.

"World is India" is an expert blend of contemporary and traditional Indian music. It's best paired with 2010's other great album so far – Dengue Fever Presents: Electric Cambodia It's a delicious, spicy and sweet fusion of East meeting West! It's a sonic passage to India.