You Can Be Anything

You Can Be Anything is a track by Indian violinist and composer L. Shankar. The piece appears as the fifth track on his 1986 studio album The Epidemics, released by ECM Records GmbH on 12\" vinyl. The composition spans 3 minutes and 49 seconds.

The album The Epidemics marked Shankar’s continued exploration of fusion between Carnatic classical traditions and Western contemporary music. The record features Shankar on double violin, an instrument he pioneered, alongside electronic and rhythmic elements. Production details for the track and album remain partially undocumented, though ECM Records’ characteristic emphasis on acoustic clarity and minimalist arrangements is evident.

Shankar composed and performed the work, blending improvisational techniques with structured melodic phrases. The track exemplifies his signature style, characterized by rapid arpeggios, microtonal inflections and layered harmonic textures. Collaborators on the album included session musicians from both Indian and Western backgrounds, though specific credits for You Can Be Anything are not explicitly listed in available sources.

The Epidemics received distribution primarily in Europe and North America, aligning with ECM’s focus on avant-garde and cross-cultural projects during the 1980s. The vinyl release included liner notes by producer Manfred Eicher, though detailed track-by-track annotations were omitted. The album’s cover art, designed by Barbara Wojirsch, adhered to ECM’s minimalist visual aesthetic.

No commercial singles or music videos were released for You Can Be Anything, and its reception in contemporary reviews remains sparsely documented. The track’s legacy persists within Shankar’s discography as an example of his innovative approach to global fusion, predating wider trends in world music during the late 20th century.