Search - Bill Laswell :: Rasa: Serene Timeless Joy

Fragmented Journey

v staplehurst | Shrewsbury, Shropshire United Kingdom | 07/23/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I guess, it helps being familiar with Bill Laswell's prolific output, when reviewing a new release such as this. Falling somewhere between "Divination - Sacrifice" and more recently "Low Def Pressure", to name just one. The disc opens with a series of sustained drones over which a simple rhythmic figure provides an accompaniment. The ryhthm in this cae is secondary to the sitar like chords which maintain the most focus of interest for the first half of the disc, and yes.... it is just one long track clocking in at just over an hour. This is an excercise in meditation within the first 36 minutes the changes are few and reasonably subtle as for example in early Reich or Riley. The figures and rhythms morph over a period of minutes not seconds. So take it slowly, this is an album to let your thougts unravel, to take a journey. a little over half way through, the more recognisable laswell drum and bass begins to appear, this is fragmentary but has the effect, albeit briefly of bringing everything into sharp focus from a soft blur. Sitar sounds although still apparent are now augmented by detuned piano sounds and there is a spiralling sense of urgency as opposed to the former calm. This mood is sustained for just a few minutes before the journey once more fragments into a soft haze of unknown landscapes. for a brief period all is calm, and just as suddenly the musical mood changes into a Material/Praxis like funk, "is that Buckethead in the mix"? The disc eventually returns to it's former self this time with the sound of bells continuing the fragmentation in the final minutes, as the journey slowly disntegrates like sand trickling through the fingers of your Hi Fi system."

Silent serenity

yajdubuddah | cheboygan,michigan usa | 06/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"for laswell fans this enters you into a real ambient realm of sound scapes but also features recordings from borobudur,java and monkey forest,bali=indonesia. its a resampled percussion with a verry bell like sound mixed with a conga like sound continuing and swirling keeping the rythm and sound scapes then dipping the rythm in and out laswell style for about 40 min or soo then kicking in some fat slow dub style, to the best of my knowlege not featured on another release from laswell or heavelly masked. You can buy the meta collection album that features shinning stone the beat part if your not really interested in the bells and sound scapes but if you have the time for the trip you will tripp with the results im not really into repeditive music but shinning stone is different designed for intuitive hallucinations and meditative mentallity, spiritual dream conscience. the track is 1:00:30

enjoy the tripp!!!"

Dreamscape and Discovery

Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 11/30/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The one track - Shining Stone (Watu Jilang) - is one hour of a relaxing and dynamic soundscape that provides a wonderful dreamscape that can lead to discovery within the heart and soul.



Bill Laswell sets a foundation to a trail that may lead the listener into different directions, but ultimately ends in healthy, positive reflection. The ambience of meditation makes for one of the most interesting releases in Laswell's vast catalog of artistry."