Bombay Dub Orchestra '3 Cities'
Step inside the sound of 3 Cities, Bombay Dub Orchestra's sophomore release, and experience the crossroads where Mumbai, Chennai, and London musically meet. Since the release of their self-titled debut, Bombay Dub Orchestra (consisting of composer/producers Garry Hughes and Andrew T. Mackay) has built quite a reputation. From main-stage performances at the UK's Big Chill Festival and Djing across the globe, scoring feature films to remixing such world-renowned artists as Bob Marley, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and Bebel Gilberto, fans and critics have been eagerly awaiting their next move. For 3 Cities, Hughes and Mackay traveled to Mumbai and Chennai to record with the cities' premier musicians and vocalists before returning to London to mix the album. 3 Cities is where their cinematic soundscapes meet Indian Classical and electronica, featuring a huge cast of over 75 musicians!
The album is lush and relaxed, and at other times it takes the listener on a rollicking ride down the Ganges from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal with sounds both new and old. Mumbai (formerly Bombay) is where the majority of 3 Cities was created and is central to Bombay Dub Orchestra. Both Hughes and Mackay have been traveling to Mumbai since the early 90's and first worked together there in 1998. The people, the colors, the buildings, the smells, the food, and life in the heart of the city has been integral to their inspiration.
The second city represented on the album is Chennai (Madras). Although both Hughes and Mackay had visited Chennai before, this was their first time recording there. They immediately made a real connection with the musicians, recording at the studios of revered composer and musician A R Rahman, regarded as one of the greatest film composers. This is where they worked with a team of dedicated string players and soloists.
After extensive sessions in Mumbai and Chennai, Bombay Dub Orchestra returned back home, recording in various parts of the UK including London, where the vocals of singers Kartik and Meneka were recorded as well as some sitar and percussion. The biggest UK sessions were recorded at Rockfield Studios. A legendary music studio set up in the 1960s, the facility has the vibe left from five decades of recording with the likes of Queen, Black Sabbath, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Oasis. Here BDO recorded live drums, percussion, tablas, Rhodes and piano.
