Spiritchaser Review

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(More customer reviews)Blending a seamless mix of Native American and African styles of music into their synthetic brew, the final album from Dead Can Dance is also their must fully actualized. Not for casual background listening or mentally agitated states, "Spiritchaser" has filled my days at times when I've needed to sit back (or lay down) and reconnect with life and a more peaceful point of consciousness.
"Spiritchaser" is also a very earthy, sexual CD for me. As the liner notes state, there is a belief that organic instruments, made from living creatures, then contain part of the soul of the creature and make each instrument the voice of the soul from which it was created. That kind of reverence permeates the eight songs on "Spiritchaser," where the sounds and the voices seem to manage to seep into the listener's essence, touching hearts as gently as they touch minds. (Although you have to smile as the song "Indus" gracefully references George Harrison's "Within You Without You.") To close, "Spiritchaser" is the kind of CD you listen to when you wish to have an environment that surrounds and envelops you.
PS. I will heartily recommend this CD to fans of Delerium, Deep Forest and earlier Enigma, even though they are only marginally related.

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Out of print in the U.S.! Import pressing of this 1996 album, the final release from one of the 4AD label's most popular and influential bands. At the core of Dead Can Dance is guitarist Brendan Perry and vocalist Lisa Gerard, who created a body of work that remains invigorating and uniquely their own. Eight tracks. 4AD.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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All Good Things Review

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All Good Things is an awesome album that has been long overdue as far as I'm concerned. This album has something for everyone, and if you like eclectic music this is the first truly cross cultural hip hop album since The Fugees dropped The Score. While the fugees are clearly a more rap-centric group at that point, Pacha Massive's ecclectic mix definitely deserves comparison to them. It's that good.
Pacha Massive was on my mind long before they had an official album on the market. I run in a lot of different musical circles, especially in NY city. And this duo definitely has had a reputation for bringing originality to their own brand of Latin fusion. Normally I don't even like the word "Latin" but in this case this applies. This is a great blend between European, South American, African and American music styles.
Pacha Massive easily switch between singing and rapping in English and Spanish. They do that while mixing beats and music including trip-hop, Latin, hip-hop and techno beats as well as every musical influence you can name. Yet the combination of all these things is so smooth that I believe some may mistake it for "pop." If they get the attention they deserve it may become "pop."
"Don't Let Go" is a laid back track, but a great introduction to a fantastic album,. The rhythm and beat are well laid down and the chorus is very catchy. The Spanish rap on this track is also good and lends to an overall chill atmosphere. This is not the kind of mind-blowing rap that some are producing these days. But to repeat, I think this rap is intentionally laid back to not overpower the chill vibe of the song.
"Oye Mira," "All Good Things," and "Pachangueando" are probably most representative of this album as a whole and feature Maia on lead vocals, just like the title track. The whole album has a very chill vibe to it, but there is still a nice mix of styles in these songs. Some songs like "De pies a la cabeza," "Only You" and "Take it easy" showcase the male vocal half of this group. But still, it's the overall vibe that matters most on this album. And the vibe is great.

The songs on this album only get better as you listen to them more. Each one is a self contained piece that will make you wonder why more music like this doesn't get made.
This is music for those who are into latin fusion and have eclectic tastes. Speaking Spanish is by no means a prerequisite to enjoying this, but it will definitely aid your enjoyment. :)
I hope you give this album a try.
Enjoy!


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Remember Shakti Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a record that makes you wish you could have been at the concert when it was recorded. The highlight of this two-record set is the hour-long composition - "Mukti" - by the master flautist, Hariprasad Chaurasia. First of all, John Mclaughlin demonstrates a deep understanding of Indian classical music, while at the same time being true to his own instrument. So he sets the pace well for the things to come. Second, Chaurasia shows himself to have the rare ability to successfully compose a blend of Indian and western sounds.
However, the show stopper is the rhythmic interlude with the two percussion geniuses - Zakir Hussain on the "tabla" and 'Vikku' Vinayakram on the "ghatam" (or clay pot). In spite of having heard them live on many occasions and been floored by their mastery of rhythm , it was still mind-boggling to hear what they did on that night.
Each percussionist is comfortable with the other's very different rhythmic tradition (Zakir's Hussain's music is from north India, 'Vikku Vinayakram's from the south); they also LISTEN to each other and converse together with ease. Their brilliance is only matched by their humour (at one point the players themselves crack up), and one has trouble keeping one's jaws from hitting the ground. Truly a must for anyone who wants music that blows the mind.

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Silk Road Journeys: When Strangers Meet Review

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(More customer reviews)Most "fusion" recordings remind me of a pretentious little restaurant in Salt Lake City that jumbles together French haute cuisine and Chinese condiments. Name of "Haut Chinoise" or some such--three perfectly poached spears of asparagus, garnished with ginger. Right. The digestif is a chocolate-dipped fortune cookie.
But occasionally something comes along like Yehudi Menuhin's collaborations with Ravi Shankar or this, cellist Yo-Yo Ma's ambitious blend of classical instruments with the music of central and eastern Asia; and the potential for evolving new art from spliced traditions is realized.
This is not classical slumming, nor is it Middle Eastern folk music jazzed up. It hasn't the odd discontinuity one hears when the trained voice of an opera star sings gospel music or folk songs "correctly." The compositions and arrangements present a unified suite of sound, moving as comfortably as a caravan from Renaissance Italy (with a side trip to Finland!) to Persia, Mongolia, and into China.
The sound is exotic, from the initial shock of the piercing Mongolian street singer's shrill tremulo to the belly dance rhythms of the later pieces. The quality of the sound is impeccable, as one would expect of an artist as meticulous at Yo-yo Ma. I heard this on the radio, and ordered it immediately. How glad I am, that CDs don't wear out.

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