December 2001

Afrocelt Sound System
Volume 3: Further in Time
Real World

By John Murph

In this gadget-obsessed information age, electronica seems to be aural glue for uniting seemingly disparate musics. Because of that, we now get such eyebrow-raising projects as Afro-Celt Sound System that, on paper, sound as appetizing as caviar on top of collard-greens. The Grammy-nominated project returns with another River-dance meets rave on Volume 3: Further in Time (Realworld 7087 6 15332 2 4; 70:39). And while the new age-y mishmash of talking drums, Irish reels, guitars, violins, chants and occasional lead vocals from Robert Plant and Peter Gabriel unexpectedly coalesce harmoniously, it's not going to make you run out to the store.