Underground Friday: Aradhna’s latest release Amrit Vani as good as Indian worship music gets

Originally here: http://theundergroundsite.com/index.php/2009/09/underground-friday-aradhnas-latest-release-amrit-vani-as-good-as-indian-worship-music-gets/

Amrit Vani cd cover Since 2000, Aradhna has set out to create authentic Indian worship music. By blending Indian bhajans (spirituals) with Biblical subject-matter, band members Chris Hale (lead vocals, sitar), Peter Hicks (acoustic guitar, sitar, English vocals), Fiona Hicks (Hindustani violin) and Travis Macafee (bass), have proven that good Christian music is not an oxymoron. Amrit Vani (Immortal World) is the band’s latest release. While listening, you can almost smell of Tibetan juniper incense, frying spices and rain-drenched soil wafting through the air as you lift up fragrant praise offerings to the Most High God. Although this album in performed (mostly) in Hindi, the album’s lush, hypnotic grooves and the simplicity of the Gospel make you want to worship the Lord. If you read the lyrics while listening to the music the (impact) is trebled. For those who don’t know Indian languages, the album’s liner notes are in English and Hindi. Amrit Vani begins with Jaya Dev (Victory to God) and ends with Narahari (The Man-God). Jaya Dev sets the tone for the album. The track begins with a low hum that blossoms into a rousing, yet exotic song of praise with table, guitar and a choir of angelic voices singing out “Jaya Deva Narahari” on the chorus. As it gets stuck in your head, don’t be surprised if Jaya Dev becomes your personal anthem. Narahari is sort of a reprise of Jaya Dev. It wraps up the album nicely. In between Jaya Dev and Narahari are eight sublime tracks dealing with various aspects of Christianity—from the suffering of the believer to the awesomeness of God’s creation. Yeshu Raja (King Jesus) is a simple bhajan celebrating the incarnation. It’s sweet, sort of like a lullaby. Amrit Vani gives praise to each person in the Trinity. It’s more up tempo than some of the other songs on the album. Expect someone to sample it for a rap song in the future. Bhajo Re is a fun, call and response song that sounds like something you could sing with your mates at a sporting event, except it’s in Hindi and it’s about finding rest and peace in Jesus. Dhyana Mulam is a short hymn of devotion to Aradhna’s guru-Jesus. Man Mera is tender and gentle. Like the other songs on this album it’s in layers. It build up and builds up, finishing in a worshipful frenzy where Peter Hicks’ Peter Gabriel-esque vocals are striking when juxtaposed with the Hindi voices in the background. Prem Milan (United in Love) is a folky travelling song. It is reminiscent of Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress in that it’s about a person who reaches his beloved after a long journey. Prabhu Hamare- has Aradhna interpreting a portion of a song from one of the greatest songwriters, ever— King David, as the lyrics in this song are taken from a Hindi translation of Psalm 91, verse four. Khat Khataao (Knock, Knock)—Christ’s words from Matthew 7: 7 set to music. Perfect. Aayo Hai Aayo (A Nepali Christmas Song) recounts Jesus’ birth in a manger and His purpose for coming into the world—to become our Salvation. This might be one to add to the traditional Christmas rotation to mix things up. From start to finish, Amrit Vani transforms its listeners, while transporting them to faraway lands. For more info For more information on Aradhna, visit www.aradhnamusic.com or www.myspace.com/aradhnamusic Buy Amrit Vani at www.cdbaby.com/cd/aradhna2 or www.aradhnamusic.com/store.html. See them live Aradhna is currently on tour. Though they perform well in the studio, Aradhna is even better live, as their previous album, Satsang proves. Check out their schedule  on their Web site to see if they’ll be playing near you.

You are subscribed to email updates from The Underground To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now.	Email delivery powered by Google
Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610

Posted via email from The Underground-- Not Your Average Christian Mag