Search - Various Artists :: Spiritual Chillout

Music for the mind, body and soul

Clarissa | Ontario, California | 08/29/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In order to escape the ever-present chaos/depressions of the world around us, sometimes you just need to sit back and CHILL, and while there are many chillout compilations available, I highly doubt any of them will touch you quite as deep as this one will. I first heard 'Spiritual Chillout' as I was browsing through a wiccan/pagan store called Journey Books one day during my summer vacation and track 5 ("Sky Chill" by Mysteria) was playing overhead and I knew this was going to be something special. I come across a lot of great music but rarely does one take complete and utter hold of me such as this cd has. The songs don't flow together like a trance, per say, but the brief silences between each track meld to form a whole. It's as if you become unaware of one cut ending and the other beginning. They all sound different and yet they're a part of each other - like an infinite circle of union. Lesiem opens up with the divinely powerful "Humilitas" from their forthcoming 'Auracle' album but it hardly goes downhill from there. A Moby-esqued "In My Soul" by Mysteria and the sexy downtempo lounge of "Love Glitch" by Govinda continues the climb, but it only gets better. "Metamorphosis" by Eden is a sweeping melody of epic proportions, drawing all sorts of emotions from within you with a passionate sireness lulling you, yet with the intensity of one wailing, and the exhilarating world grooves of "River" has always been a personal favorite of mine by the underrated Ikarus. But closing the set is [wherever you may go...] "Go Gently" by Gaia, which is one of the most breathtakingly beautiful songs I've ever had the blessed pleasure of hearing before with sweet female vocals that remind me a lot of Rose Moore. And before that is the instrumental "Elements" by Monica Ramos that features some lovely harpist playing. What I was most surprised with, though, was "Recordare" by Magna Canta. I thought they were going to sound like another Era rip-off with the Gregorian singing and ambient, electronic beats, and albeit they do resemble them, they can definitely hold their own with gorgeous, melodic rhythms.



I could honestly rave about every track here but I'm frankly running out of ways to express how mind-blowing this album truly is! The strength of the songs throughout never falter in sublime/heavenly material, the selection is unpredictable and, I must say, David Evey did an excellent job at compiling the pieces chosen for this record. And even though I know it will be incredibly hard to beat, I pray they release a vol. 2 for this magnificent series!

"

In My Soul!

Soaring Heart | 06/26/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Music is a solace to each of us. Everyone has "their Music." And that's great! But I want to recommend this for your collection. Whether you have any chillout music or not doesn't matter, and perhaps all the better if you don't. In my experience, Spiritual Chillout is a winner with each track having a dynamic, pulsating, energy that I can receive relaxation, rejuvenation and regeneration! Plus, if you haven't already, you get introduced to Govinda, one of my favorite bands. With eleven artists, I will bet you'll seek out more music by one or more in the future as every artist is right up there at the top of his/her game. I love each track but for me: Lesiem, Mysteria, Magna Canta, and Ikarus (sings so sweetly, I can't understand what she is saying in but my heart I can sense the beauty in it) are my favorites (and wow, Monica Ramos' "Elements" I need to check other music of hers soon!) are some other bands I've enjoyed as a result of this cd.



Bottom line: So many compliations fail to rise up to what they are made--for each track to be distinctly pleasurable and memorable yet also as a whole, for the tracks to fit together and complement the collaboration. Spiritual Chillout achieves this difficult balance. The last track by Gaia confirms the mystery and beauty with a blessing..."Wherever you may go, go gently." o8E

Soar!"

Super Chilled Grooves

Dante West | New York | 08/31/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I found this cd playing in a shop in the village in NYC. I could not believe the music that was playing on the overhead stereo system. It was incredible, simply amazing! This music will destress you in a modern hip cool way without the cheesiness that so many noodley new age cd's do. This is the cutting edge of what appears to be a collection of crossover artists into the electronica/worldbeat/new age ambient/downtempo styles. If you buy one record this year for de-stress chilling out to, i think you should hear this record.

Great work from a label that seems to be putting out some of the hipper sounds in the chillout worldbeat downtempo world.

peace"