Alai - Wave of Bliss Music Review
Band : Sounds of Isha
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Prelude : For those who don't know, Sounds of Isha is the home band of the Isha Foundation, you can get more info Here.
Isha Foundation's or rather Sadhguru's spiritual influence is generally expected from the album. Written and composed by Sounds of Isha during a series of Mahasathsangs with Sadhguru across South India, Alai boasts of profound lyrics with deep inner meanings. Being made completely in Tamil, a dominance of native sounds and classical influence seems like an unavoidable element. A visit to Isha Foundations website thankfully gave the lyrics of all the songs and can't really help being a bit enchanted by the sheer eloquence of the lyrics!
Alai Alai is the perfect start, the fisherman's song presumably, a colloquial tune set to wonderful guitar riffs, enhanced with the nuanced sound of Mridangam and the spritely chants of the chorus!
Kanale Kanale is more folk in the core, both the singing style and instruments announces so, while the poetic lyrics of Sri Marabin Maindhan Muthiah gets a highly rhythmic and addictive tune!
Oru Anniyar is folk genre again, sounds more like a 'pulluvan song' going by the alluring sound of the violin like instrument(pulluvan pattu) and the constant beats of pulluvan kutam, but then the nadaswaram comes in between resulting in somewhat a hybrid natured song, yet engaging in every way!
Oru Murai has predominant Carnatic classical base, the free flowing composition sung to grace by Narayan Parasuram given lift off by VV Ravi's brilliant Violin with some inspiring lyrics!
September 23 is perhaps the most spiritual of the lot, the haunting vocals merged with the deeply rich lyrics given classical treatment produces something with a resilient divine mood!
The absolutely graceful tune of Something Something works big time, an ample melody strong in the composition department gets to another high with the confident yet soothing vocals!
Un Padham sounds like a fervid prayer, the traditional temple rhythm backed by apt instrumentation(Mridangam and Flute) gives highly pleasing results!
Verdict : Sounds of Isha doesn't go wrong anywhere in Alai. It is a wonderful ensemble of brilliant tracks with some equally brilliant lyrical backbone. Nothing below than a must buy, the album enchants you, inspires you and puts you to sleep, evoking questions about life we've chosen to ignore until now hovering in your head. If it is spiritual, then it is beautiful!
Must Hears! : The whole album!
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4.25/5
AVOIDABLE<POOR<BELOW AVG<AVERAGE<GOOD< VERYGOOD <EXCELLENT!<OUTSTANDING!
Trivia : The name September 23 comes from the date on which the song was first performed!
