A lush
and soothing collection of Vedic chants and melodies from Southern
India
Akhand by
Various Artists
Reviewed by Matt Hoey
Akhand, the new
release from Kosmic Records, is a collection of Vedic chants and
melodies from Southern India, an album that transforms the
listener’s car or living room into a Far East sanctuary. Full of
lush instrumentation and soothing vocals, the album transports the
listener, taking them on a tranquil voyage into serenity itself.
Each of the album’s 16 tracks has its own unique sound, yet all are
unified into one lulling, peaceful sojourn.
According to the inside
notes, “the two most important and indivisible aspects of life are
Prosperity and Spirituality, personified in Hindu tradition as
Vishnu & Shiva. Vishnu personifies external or material prosperity
while Shiva personifies inner awakening or spiritual prosperity.”
Encompassing ancient, meditative sounds of that Hindu tradition,
this collection provides the perfect soundtrack to a restful Sunday
afternoon or to guide you calmly through rush hour traffic.
The pieces on the album,
some coming and going in under two minutes, flow effortlessly, one
into the next, no jarring transitions, nothing to take you out of
the restoring solace the album conjures. Each composition sets a
mellowing mood that engages your senses throughout its 47 minutes.
The combination of soulful instrumentation and steady, insistent
vocals wash over one’s ears, providing succor and encouraging the
listener to block out negative energy.
These compositions are full
of exotic instrumentation, such as the veena, tanpura and bhajan,
blended seamlessly with the familiar sounds of flute, violin, bass
and guitar. The vocals—on some tracks no more than rhythmic
chanting—combine smoothly as another instrument in the mix,
vibrating with the intensity of spiritual enlightenment.
From the mystical, ethereal
“Namasthe,” with its enchanting, layered vocals and expansive
soundscape to the plaintive moans of worship—the sound of a soul
seeking solitude—on “Samavedam” and “Narayana Suktam,” the tracks
range from epic and soaring to completely intimate. Even in their
brevity they are breathtaking, such as the intense tribal drumbeats
and impressive sped-up vocal delivery of “Rudra,” clocking in at
just under two minutes.
The symmetry of voice and
music on the album is particularly dynamic, as in the lilting
inflection of the vocals on “Sri Mahaganesha Pancharathnam,”
juxtaposed against the haunting sound of bellowing horns. And the
multiple voices on “Argala Stotram” result in a track that sounds as
though you are in the hallowed hallways of a remote mountaintop
monastery, hearing voices that few ever experience in person. The
closing track, “Prannath,” with its bewitching vocals and elegant
flute solo, is the musical embodiment of a new day dawning.
This collection’s sounds,
powerful and subtle, seep into your subconscious, capable of
shutting out the cluttered noise of the world around you,
consistently emitting positive energy. The beauty, artistry and
spiritual passion displayed herein are infectious and affecting,
impacting the listener in a profound, moving fashion. While a CD
probably doesn’t hold all the answers to the universe, this one
manages to set the listener on the road toward enlightenment,
providing musical accompaniment appropriate for the journey.
To learn more about
the artist, visit
www.kosmicmusic.com
Matt Hoey is a, freelance
writer and associate editor of an entertainment industry magazine in
Los Angeles.
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