Between Heaven and Earth

The rise of Bollywood soundtracks in the West has led to an increased awareness of the unique and often kitschy music and their composers, which have a popularity in India that rivals that of top pop stars in the West. With hundreds of song credits ranging from ad jingles or film soundtracks, as well as the music for the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Bollywood Dreams, the 38-year-old Rahman's resume is such that he's now considered one of the great composers of India. Based on his original score to the film Warriors Of Heaven And Earth, this album adaptation is Rahman's first full-fledged orchestral work. Eschewing tabla and sitar cliques, Rahman takes in influences of Turkey and China as well as India and integrates them into sweeping orchestral arrangements that recall the East-meets-West panoramic beauty of the The Last Emperor soundtrack. Rahman has the rare ability to articulate complex emotions without lyrics, and Between Heaven And Earth is the work of this master in full bloom. --Tad Hendrickson