I am by no means an expert on music or musical instruments, so I apologise in advance for the less-than-ideal description that follows, I realise some hardliners will consider my lack of musical vocab blasphemous :). I realise something else too, I keep using the American realiZe rather than the Brit realiSe each time I first type. Argh. Anyway…

A few days ago, I was in Perth for neither business nor pleasure. As I walked the vast city streets (not…), I came across street performers – this is quite common in Melbourne, but it was the first time I’ve seen it in Perth (arguably I don’t live there so this is a dumb comment…), they were a group called “Laliya”, consisting of one male – using some form of mini electrical guitar hooked up to amps and footpedals, and a didgeridoo – and one female using maracas and a drum or tabla like device (hit with the hands). Together they made music that captured me for a long time, I rarely put out change to street performers, but I spontaneously did in this case. I even bought an AUD 25 CD of theirs. So yeah, I was quite fascinated. The music would probably be classified as some variant of lounge or new age – but that is for classification’s sake, it is like calling Enya’s music new age. Enya is Enya. Similarly, I’d call Laliya’s music, well, Laliya music.

I won’t bother describing the music – one, because I do not possess the necessary language skills to properly justify what I heard, and two, because that would be akin to describing the taste of sugar to someone who hasn’t had it before – futility is certain, no? But if you ever are in town, I believe they performed next to the Safeway, whichever mall is there, on Murray St. or Hay St., can’t remember, but do check and see if they’re around.

Going off on a tangent, if anyone has recommendations for decent didgeridoo music, comment away.

— Kamal