Serendipity swept up producer Michael Christie, better known as Telepath, and carried him to far-flung destinations to capture celebratory scenes. Searching for and collaborating with international artists — some of whom he has never met — brought new experiences and tones to his music. The well-seasoned producer supplies traces of Western staples, but lets his guests color the songs any which way. From urban cool to sultry Marrakesh to Bollywood’s rapturous ballyhoo, Christie and his cast populate a sonic landscape spanning emotions and experiences. Crush shares the talents of the legendary, including Pervez Khan’s excellent sitar playing and vocals on “Dust”. Combining electronic effects and Western instruments to sounds typically associated with Eastern cultures is not a new approach; however, Christie’s distinctive mark imaginatively steers the album. A typical record from Telepath would be instrumental, but Christie flexed his creative muscles to pen vocals, which serve as a “lifeline”, he says, for audiences. In resistance to wandering astray, Crush suggests a producer at the top of his game.

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Buy this at iTunes.