A British-American artist who had a very famous father, Dhani Harrison has played in the bands thenewno2 and Fistful Of Mercy. This sophomore solo album arrives six years after his solo debut, and welcomes Graham Coxon (Blur), Mereki and Liela Moss (The Duke Spirit) to the fusion-friendly and atmospheric climate.
The twinkling demeanor of “Dangerous Lies” opens the listen with processed vocals that help make for a mysterious delivery, and “New Religion” follows with help from Coxon, as the setting is melodic, thumping and buzzing with thick prog-rock.
Further along, the intimate and ambient “La Sirena” recruits gorgeous singing for the cinematic swells, while “Damn That Frequency” is heavy on electronica amid the soulful singing and videogame-esque beeps. “Right Side Of History,” the album’s best, then fills beats in between the emphasis on mood and very smooth singing that uses guitars precisely.
“I.C.U.” and “Wolves Around The City” exit the listen, where the former is dreamy and poetic in its rich textures and the latter finishes with bright vocals, playful key gestures and a swirling beauty specific to this listen.
Harrison cut his teeth in the world of music when he helped his dad during home recording sessions for George’s final album Brainwashed in 2001, and eventually completed the album after his father passed away. His career since then has been quite busy and diverse, and even includes film scoring. This very meticulous body of work has Harrison as creative as ever, where an atypical version of meditative sounds unfold with pop bouts, dramatic positioning and hooks that you wouldn’t expect.
Available on a double-LP format, Innerstanding comes on yellow vinyl and includes a 20-page booklet that enhances the experience of this sonic journey that no one could accurately classify, but that you can’t fail to admire.