On certain streets of Northern India it is not the classical sitar of Ravi Shankar that spills from markets and open air restaurants: it's the music of Najma Akhtar. For those who want more juice than the old-school Shankar offers, Akhtar represents the next generation. She backs up classic ghazal

Eclectic, Layered, Modern pop/dance, Pioneering, Rhythmic, Sensual

Ali Farka Toure has been called the "John Lee Hooker of Africa": if it's often said that the blues are a reworking of African tribal rhythms to fit the African-American experience, then Toure has aligned the blues back to African life. Since he was born into nobility, a musical career was strongly d

Ebullient, Modern pop/dance, Rhythmic, Spiritual, Tranquil

Blending soulful vocals with a melodic, mid-tempo beat, Marvin Gaye introduced a new kind of rhythmic pop to the mainstream. The drive to produce commercially successful material -- a goal Gaye personally deemed insignificant -- eventually took its toll on the sensitive artist. But though he never qu

Cool, Intimate, Layered, Pop, Religious, Rhythmic, Sensual

The group known as Tortoise crawled through the caverns of Chicago's rock underground during the early 1990s, collecting people who loved odd, oozy noises. The band's own sound gelled when synth-man John Herndon and bassist Doug McCombs collaborated on an experimental project called Mosquito. Soon, J

Ethereal, Euphoric, Post-rock, Rhythmic, Round, Serene, Tranquil