What Would I Do Without You

The Epidemics is a studio album by Indian violinist and composer L. Shankar. Released on 1986 by ECM Records GmbH, the album appeared on 12\" vinyl as part of the label’s jazz and world fusion catalog. Shankar composed and performed the material, blending Carnatic classical traditions with Western jazz and experimental elements.

The album’s second track, \"What Would I Do Without You\", runs 4 minutes and 11 seconds. The composition features Shankar’s signature double violin technique, layered with synthesizers and rhythmic patterns that reflect his collaborative work with minimalist and avant-garde musicians of the era. The track exemplifies the album’s fusion of Indian raga structures with ambient and contemporary production methods.

Production details for The Epidemics remain partially undocumented in public sources. The release aligns with Shankar’s mid-1980s output, a period marked by his experiments in cross-genre improvisation. ECM Records distributed the vinyl internationally, though later reissues or digital remasters are not confirmed in available records. The album cover and liner notes, where present, typically adhere to ECM’s minimalist aesthetic, emphasizing instrumental focus over promotional imagery.

Shankar’s work on The Epidemics followed his contributions to projects with artists such as Peter Gabriel and Frank Zappa, reinforcing his role in introducing Indian classical instruments to global fusion contexts. The tracklisting and session musicians, beyond Shankar’s primary performance, are not fully verified in accessible archives.