Product Description The ancient science of yoga meets modern music technology on this compilation of electronic dance grooves, chants and meditative soundscapes. Music visionary Bill Laswell produced, arranged or performed on all of the eight tracks. Laswell is accompanied by two masters, tabla player Zakir Hussain and Ustad Sultan Khan on sarangi. Featuring Kiran Ahluwalia, Karsh Kale and Asha Pluthi. The last track is dedicated to George Harrison with a beautiful interpretation of Here Comes The Sun with tabla, bass and orchestration. .com For being one of the edgier musicians out there, bassist and producer Bill Laswell has had a long time relationship with things new age, drawing upon spiritual as much as musical traditions from across the world, including India, Africa, and Bali. Albums in his Divination and Sacred Systems series all speak to alternate belief systems and are rife with religious imagery. Despite that, he's avoided the new age scarlet letter and maintained a reputation as an avant-garde provocateur. You can hear why on Asana's Ohm Shanti, Vol. 4. Although a title like that gets him placed in the front bin of the new age section, the music is prototypical Laswell, full of relentless grooves and dub bass lines that throb like a brothel in heat. Indian singers, including Kiran Ahluwalia, Ustad Sultan Khan, Fulguni Shah, and Asha Puthli, intone hymns to Shiva on expansive tracks you won't hear in a Hindu temple. Karsh Kale joins Laswell on most of the album, syncing up his tabla drums with Laswell's menacing grooves. There's a bit of Laswell's slapdash approach here and tracks like the title piece tend to go on too long. But texturally expansive atmospheres with ululating melodies ricocheting across the insistent grooves like kamikaze fighters make Ohm Shanti a compelling journey. That is, until the last track, a rendition of the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun," which is uncharacteristically straight and cheesy for Laswell and longtime associate Robert Musso, who plays guitar. Excepting that, Ohm Shanti propels you on an Indian dance floor of the imagination. --John Diliberto
C**B
Love It!
I thought a Yogi would have had a more open mind....Modern, yet ancient Indian sound filtered through Laswell. Pulses with Energy. Enlightning. Enthralling.
A**L
Pretty average
There are one or two good tracks on this CD but all in all pretty dissapointing. I would rather go for Sphongle, Ott or any of those masters.
Y**T
didn't like this at all
I teach yoga and I'm always looking for ambient music to accompany my class--this cd did not fit at all. This cd is funky but the music is a bit too traditional for a yoga class. The strong female ululations are a little too sharp to induce a relaxed, rythmic feel to my class.For the amount of money paid I hoped that I could use this cd more in class.
C**D
beat driven eastern style bliss trance
This album is a perfect base to lead or practice yoga by, which is the main reason I purchased it. The addition of vocals to these songs does not in any way detract from the beauty of the music contained on this album.The uplifting vocals and bass heavy/beat driven songs are the perfect compliment to a moving and engaged practice.Also,the addition of strange and mezmerizing electronic sounds that are layered ontop and underneath each track makes it stand out amongst the typical yoga/meditation albums being sold today.This music has a distinct edge to it that I welcome with an open heart into my practice, and it is at times so catchy and moving that I have a hard time imagining any student in a class not feeling moved to open their bodies, minds and hearts to these sounds.The reason for the 4 star review is the inclusion of "Here comes the sun" instrumental Beatles song at the end. I think it fits and then sometimes I don't. Good song, but maybe they should have rethought the inclusion of this. No matter though, I still dig the song.Plus, it kicks in the car as your driving! Can also be played at home just for the sheer pleasure of it. Play it loud!
Y**H
maybee the best of the sceries
the 4th instalment in the meta collection, again compilled by bill laswell. but unlike all the rest the entire album is written my laswell, karsh kale, ustad sultan khan, & eastern singers. this is more like a full album than a bunch of collected songs by various artists. the first 2 are more cheb i sabbah style, more traditional with laswell dub bass. 3 is a new version of asha from asana 3 but very original. mukti #4 is a completelly new song with a more tabla beat science feel to it with karsh playing acoustic drums & ustad playing the sarangi, best song from laswell in a while. #5 is an all traditional song from another album only 1:23. #6 is another upbeat heavelly eastern indian influinced dub song. balama #7 is heavily electronic influinced, just like eraldo bernocchi & mick harris were on this, straight outa veve. as does the pattern relaese #8 but more oscillations style melding into a version of here comes the sun (vocaless) by the beatles written by harrison, utalizing more eastern sounds & robert musso joining on guitar to play the lead lines, very simmilar to original no dub remix here.so this is the perfect reason to sit back relaz & enjoy some very soothing sounds for the soul. what ever your relaxation be, yoga, meditation, herbal, drink, martial arts, this will set you free.
K**N
Great...But Buyer Beware...
The music on this CD is spectacular...just the sort of bass-driven genius one expects from Mr. Laswell. BUT, if you're like me, and prefer this sort of music to be vocal-free, then you are in for a rude surprise. While the outer packaging gives no clue, there is not one track on the CD that is vocal-free. If you don't mind vocals (or in fact like them) then by all means consider this a 5 star review. But if you don't want vocals with your Bill Laswell music, you may find the vocals on this CD to be extremely annoying. So buyer beware.
K**R
India traverla
This is the most wonderful Bill Laswell/ Indian Sound that he has ever produced, it has the fullest surround sound with incredible talented musicians and vocals.Having a huge collection of world/ asian music and an experience of travelling througout India and playing this album to Indian people they fell in love with it.For anyone with a love and knowledge of Classic Indian music and a knowledge of Cheb i sabbab etc I can highly recomend this CD.
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