Terry Hall and Mushtaq

Today on Ecléctico you're listening to "A Gathering Storm" by Terry Hall & Mushtaq, a cross-cultural collaboration between two British musicians from 2003. The former was a singer and songwriter with an eclectic career, best known as the frontman for the Specials, Fun Boy Three, and The Colourfield. The latter led the British hip hop group Fun-Da-Mental and is an accomplished producer.

In a 2003 review, The Guardian's Robin Denselow called the music Hall's "best work in decades." He elaborates: "They are joined by a 12-year-old Lebanese girl singer, a blind Algerian rapper, a Syrian flautist, Hebrew vocalists, a group of Polish Gypsies and Damon Albarn. If that sounds overambitious, well, it is - but for the most part, their bravery pays off."

"Hall is in fine laconic voice, and on the best songs (A Gathering Storm, Ten Eleven, Stand Together) he creates a brooding sense of global menace in a wailing, clattering collision of hip-hop, Middle-Eastern and Gypsy influences. Two of the pioneers of multicultural British pop are back with a daring, thoughtful set."

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