CD Review: Turiya Nada's 'Arakara: Ecstacy Of The Awake'

Turiya Nada
Arakara: Ecstacy Of The Awake
White Swan Records

Hypnotic, sensual, and mesmerizing tunes, beats, and arrangements are at the forefront of yogi Turiya Nada's latest release. The album is rich with yogic melodies and spiritual leanings that combine repetitive chants with instrumental greatness for a truly satisfying musical journey. There are eleven long tracks tied to Sanskrit chants and liturgies. Turiya Nada is the chief vocalist, but Winston Raval plays keyboards, Rob Kholer plays electric bass, EdWing Sankey plays electric guitar, zither, and butterfly harp, Jeronimo Sexton is on cello, Ena Vie is a backing vocalist, and Howard Lipp is a programmer, synth player, and flutist. A variety of earthy arrangements create a wonderful world of musical sound that is as spiritually transcendent and evocative as anything from Tulku or Enigma. However, the music tends to be more primitive, ancient, and yogic without modern beats or urban grooves. Nevertheless, Turiya Nada knows how to meld these seemingly opposite worlds together without venturing too far into the modern world. Overall, Arakara... is a contemplative and trance-inducing album with loads of yogic charm and spiritual tendencies. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Deva's 'Mantras For Precarious Times'

Deva Premal

Mantras For Precarious Times

Prabhu Music

With a focus on mantras, Deva Premal shares the power of the Vedic scriptures by unleashing physical energies within the body by awakening the energy channels (nadis) within us all. There are 108 nadis that meet in the heart. As a result, each of the seven mantras are chanted 108 times. Besides Deva's soothing voice and tanpura playing, she is joined by Manose on Bansuri flute, Miten on voice, and Kamal on keyboard and bells. The relaxing sounds and moods are a perfect invitation for yoga sessions. Moreover, any kind of de-stressing should involve Deva's mantras. The toll of the bells, airy sounds of the flute, and the Sanskrit lyrics of Deva's inspirational mantras are ideal for any person seeking saneness. The length of the tracks at eight minutes provides just enough time to master the recitations. Anyone interested in New Age, yoga, Buddhist, or chant music will find Mantras For Precarious Times to be an enthralling and informative part of their daily routine. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: The Gyuto Monks of Tibet and Deva Premal

Deva Premal & The Gyuto Monks of Tibet

Tibetan Mantras for Turbulent Times

Prabhu Music

Born in Germany, Deva Premal has become a preeminent vocalist of relaxation and meditative music. The addition of The Gyuto Monks of Tibet add beautiful chants of spiritual richness and vivid colours seemingly from beyond this Earth. The opening invocation by The Gyuto Monks of Tibet leads into "Compassion", which includes Deva's repeated recitation of the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. "Purification" opens with chanting in tune with throat-singing. However, the chanting fades as Deva repeats 'Om Bena Satto Hung' throughout. "Buddha" is another fine song that incoporates a flute. The absence of drums and guitars provides a stripped-down album of earthy chants with simplistic instrumentation that does not detract from the spiritual significance of each track. In order to keep things lively, the addition of keyboards, cello, Bansuri and Native American flutes accompany the compositions. The rather New Age connotations and world chanting allow for a very mesmerizing production that is sure to fill the soul with solitude and gratitude. 10 tracks in all. Praise Deva and The Gyuto Monks of Tibet for their work. All sales benefit the Gyuto Monastery, Phowa Project, and Veggiyana. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Contemporary Kirtan Music with Lokah

Lokah

The Ivy Ceiling

Ma Bhakti Yoga LLC

The growing trend of contemporary rock/pop kirtan music performances is not only steadily increasing among members of yoga centers and Tantric communities, but it is also reaching a broader audience. Miami-based Lokah is group that makes kirtan (Indian devotional/chant music) shimmer with electronic arrangements, a contemporary rock/pop beat, and soaring male and female vocals. The "Introduction by Russell Simmons" is a short prelude to the album with a spoken word segment about worldly happiness and yoga. "Ma Durga" includes Sting on some vocals. The overall beat of the song resembles a yoga rock anthem. The Sanskrit lyrics are included on every track, except the English-narrative, "Introduction by Russell Simmons". The contemporary feel of the album tosses and turns with sounds led by keyboards, mandolin, organ, strings, percussion, and bass. The lush sounds and vocals resemble some of the popular music from the Middle East or North Africa. However, The Ivy Ceiling is a great album steeped in a veil of Eastern mysticism with Western arrangements. ~ Matthew Forss

CD Review: Nagore Sessions of South India

Various Artists

Nagore Sessions

EarthSync

The Sufi-inspired chants of Abdul Ghani, Ajah Maideen, and Saburmaideen Babha Sabeer from the Nagore Dargah, or shrine, in Tamil Nadu (South India) are backed with traditional instrumentation and modern beats. As a whole, the music is more traditional than electronic. At any rate, there is a nice balance of vocals and instrumentation without distracting the flow of the album. The chants, sung in Tamil, are borrowed from traditional Indian texts. The simplicity of the singing is easily accessible for fans of Indian music, Bollywood, and Kollywood (South India) music. The traditional frame drum, strings, tabla, sitar, harmonium, and others, reflect the history of the songs. The music takes on a Middle Eastern, Central Asian, and Indian sound similar in tone to Pakistan's Rizwan-Muazzam Qawwali. The symphonic beats, Sufi singing, and traditional sounds make Nagore Sessions a must-have for any music fan! ~ Matthew Forss