If your one of the sheltered souls who has never heard of Djinn; this is your chance to find out. If your scope for audio entertainment has the potential to extend beyond the beat of the dhol and the vibrations emitted from the nasal passages of Himesh Reshammiya, it's time we try something a little bit out of our comfort zone. Djinn promises to bring something new to the table, something that will both shock and inspire; big claims from the man from little Oxford? Lets give it a try!

Before I get onto the music I'll mention the inlay card, which is a 16-page pullout. It includes full song lyrics and English translation of all desi vocals on offer. As well as a having a detailed credits section. It's much more than I'm used to getting on a standard Asian product. Many a listener, including myself, will find the lyrics/translations section very useful.

This album has been much anticipated, so there is some intrigue as to the final product. The opening few seconds of “E Vibe” leave me rather unsure, but soon the multilevel production takes hold and focuses my attention. As I drift along with the music, the lyrics don't command the same concentration. The calibre is a jolt to my ears trained to the botched production of the Asian music scene. The style, ultra smooth RnB, shown is an interesting prelude to what awaits as we delve further.

For a spilt second I think I hear dhol, but that turns out to be a palovian conditioning response from the years of listening to bhangra. The samba beat welcomes you into the descriptive story that is “The Way You Move.” Altogether more upbeat and ‘ear-catching', this is something I like rather rapidly. Takes a second to get used to djinn's singing style and vocabulary incorporated lyrics, but it's smooth and crisp on every level.

The next track is a source of confusion, “All Or Nothing” which a duet with Sonia Panesar. The elements are all there, the quality production, the subtle ‘shadow singing' and to some extent the lyrics. The transitions between Djinn and Sonia are merged in a uniquely unorthodox way; commercially they would be considered to be too long and inefficient to keep the track flowing. Sonia's adlibs are used throughout the track to cover the extensive breaks but overall I found it difficult to get into this tune.

Now take note because this doesn't happen very often, mark it in your diaries if you must. The title track “Just A Thought” has blown me away; yes you read it right, it's amazing. Technically it's flawless and lyrically it's unrivalled. The religious undertones are superb, insightful and inspiring. On the surface it may confuse but engaging you brain unlocks something akin to a sermon, talking about god, life, and the hereafter. Not many even try to use this in music, never mind make it work. Spirituality on this level is a cornerstone of any society with connections to the Middle East or Asia , so why it is rarely developed into something as widely palatable and intellectual as this?

The theme continues with “1000 Years”, another song which hits parts of your brain you haven't ever used whilst listening to music. The guest Punjabi vocalist on show this time around Mehi sparkles with a voice that conjures images of past masters and the music transports you into a world of windswept deserts. The beat employed has a very Arabic feel to it. It's an altogether complete song that gives you something different every time you listen; it's got a very mysterious vibe about it.

The flow is directed back to the something more conventional with “Can't Say Your Name Part 2.” It's a twist on your usual love story, so much so infact it could only be based on actually events. The acoustic guitar, courtesy of Tom Linden, guides us through this one, mellow and calming throughout, and it is sung in a very catchy, upbeat tempo that gives it mainstream familiarity.

Another cerebral track greets us in the form of “Born 2 Die.” It's very much thoughtful in its conception, confirmed by the presence of a news clip, which refers to the suicide bombings in London . The message is kept simple, not embellished with many words or drowned out with overpowering tones, but its there to hear if you choose to. I really like the production in this one, an unusual mix of styles, which merge surprisingly well.

Next up is “Be All You Want” which is a short sharp blast of something equivalent to “I Love You.” It's very repetitive so not much I can say to it. Its starts of really well, the music and especially the lyrics immerse you but unfortunately just as you think its going to kick into another gear it tails away and fails to maintain your attention once the repetition takes hold.

Another song on the emotional side is “Searching” which is a duet with Sumeet. The song is okay, the chorus gives it an almost gospel feel but the track overall doesn't have the desired impact. It's another song that is very personal and caters for a specific emotional need, but doesn't involve you enough to make you want to feel it.

I immediately sit up as soon as hear the next one that shows off another dimension of Djinn's skills with him singing in Urdu. “Mera Naam” is something I can only describe as hypnotic. Once you start listening, you are taken hold of, almost possessed by Djinn and you are not let go till the final note at which point you have experienced what Djinn wanted you to. It screams of unorthodox, the components are something that you wouldn't think could work but it does. Production again is spot on, you need to listen again to take that in fully; such is the hold the lyrics have.

Another love song, “I Need Your Love” speaks to us about passion and desire. Lyrically it could have been a bit more extravagant in its execution, but simplicity in the more emotional songs tends to be a trend shown throughout the album. As is the case throughout the album, the production work is extremely classy, and in most cases tends to be the main focus of each track.

Finally is the remix of “The Way You Move”, my aversion to random entries of MCs into tracks is well known. I still prefer the original version; the only difference to the usual MC additions is that this guy, Quest (Black Caz), actually sounds good.

Now this is something of the type I haven't heard before. The sheer range of type of songs, the techniques employed and the issues explored make this a very ambitious project indeed. It's a new concept and style to what many of you may be used to. The production here is clearly head and shoulders above anything you're likely to hear on most other tracks in the Asian music industry, but making that very comparison is an injustice because this type of music is something that should be opened to a wider audience. As far as a mark out of 10 goes I'll let you be the judge on this one; it's so difficult to compare this with anything I've ever reviewed. What I will say is that if you want something different, something fresh, something unique, something that is the extreme opposite to commercial sounding music but still sounds damn good then Djinn music is what you need!