Contemporary Instrumental Review: David J. Peña-Thinking of You

Release Date: June 13, 2020

Label: Independent

Website

 

David J. Peña is a drummer and piano player. One look at his picture and he looks like a drummer, big and strong as an oak tree. His music is not a reflection of his physical stature by any means.

On his website it says: Peña’s musical career has explored various genres, including Contemporary Christian, Lite Rock, and New Age Instrumental, and has drawn influence from icons such as Jim Brickman, Yanni, James Horner, and Hans Zimmer.

Everyone has their influences however once you listen to his new release Thinking of You, you will realize readily that he has his sound and his stamp and production values in place. The cover photo says it all, it is the singularity of the piano that takes center stage and it is David’s talented fingers that do all the talking needed.

David’s music is cinematic and exciting. It is a contemporary instrumental sound underpinned by the tenets of new age. I found every track filled with tremendous energy, rhythm, color, and a kind of anticipatory excitement. This is the kind of energy that flows right into your consciousness and affects your entire being. I felt completely energized and so happy hearing this music. It is a great way to feel after a hard day at work, that is for certain.

I loved the entire album but I had to choose one single track that got my attention and gave me great pleasure, and that was “Piangere Per Te.” I added it to my New Age Music Reviews Spotify Playlist (75th entry since the playlist went live).  

David knows how to bring the beauty of the music to you, the listener. The majesty of this instrumental montage will please any person interested in hearing music powerful enough to make an impression without words. That is exactly what Thinking of You can offer anyone within range of hearing this great music.

I know some of us tend to push ourselves every day to get as much as we can into being productive out of our day jobs. I am guilty of that but yet find satisfaction in it all when I am done. My relief valve is my music and music such as the kind you will hear from David J. Peña. It gives me what I need to get calm, centered, and re-energized to do it all again one more day. Thank you for the music!

Additional Credits:
Orchestral Arrangements: Judah Earl
Mixing Engineer: Greg Hill
Mastering Engineer: Brian Calhoun


Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-TFOV Founder
October 7, 2020

Track List:
01. Renaissance
02. Serenity
03. Piangere Per Te
04. Wild and Free
05. Smoke Signals Rising    
06. Good Day (Uzziah's Song)
07. Grace
08. Mystify
09. Farewell
10. Thinking of You
11. Anaiah's Song
12. Yesteryear    
13. Lighthouse

New Age World Meditation Review: Kamini Natarajan & Oleg Smirnov-AMRITA

Release Date: August 25, 2020

Label: Independent

Websites: http://kaminimusic.com

https://www.idiomproductions.com/composer 

 

Here we are in October 2020 and we have endured unprecedented events worldwide. For my thoughts…I am grateful for everything I have and any problems I may encounter do not hold a candle to what other people have been suffering from. It has been a year of immense change and a forced awareness of the political landscape, the power and control of the media, environmental disasters, and unrest in the streets and violence. It seems like the beginning of the end of humanity as we know it.

What can we all do to alleviate the stress, worry, and overall uneasiness that is permeating the human race on such a grand scale? The answer is in sounds and pulses in the form of music created by some talented individuals willing to share their messages. Two of those people are Kamini Natarajan and Oleg Smirnov with their recent release AMRITA.

I listen to this music and lyrics and cannot interpret it however it remains a spiritual journey for me regardless. As mentioned in the artist information I received…Kamini artistically incorporates the traditional Indian ragas and intricate rhythmic patterns known as “taala,” which lift listeners to a higher state of consciousness - a state of pure bliss, away from mundane appearances.

Kamini’s partner on this project is Oleg Smirnov, who provides a multi-tasking approach with instrumentation, production, engineering, and mastering. That covers every aspect of recording music, which is quite an accomplishment. Some guests do provide percussion and violin when inserted into these tracks as well.

Music is worldly in an all-encompassing way. In these instances, it is a combination of meditation, new age, and world music. The chants and music are very progressive and I do not believe I have ever heard this type of project with the choices of synthesizers at different points in the tracks. Realistically I would not hesitate to call it progressive meditation world music. It is that different and refreshing. Every track is completely different and it has a modern meets an ancient traditional approach that works for today's audience.

The music you will find AMRITA is uplifting, spiritual, light, and effective in getting an entirely different frame of mind and reference within minutes of listening. I found it all so fascinating and engaging that not knowing what the lyrics meant made no difference, I think the purpose of the music did what it intended. And that my fellow listeners are exactly what any artist wishes to accomplish.

Credits:
Kamini Natarajan – vocals, Indian harmonium
Oleg Smirnov – keyboards, guitars, basses, synthesizers, arranging, production, engineered, mixed, mastering

Additional Personnel:
Hector Quintanilla Galvan – percussion on (1)
Kirill Parenchuk – percussion on (2), (4), (5)
Mikhail Bugaev – violin on (4), (5)
 

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-TFOV Founder
October 3, 2020

Track List:
1. Om Tare
2. Shri Krishna Sharanam Mamah
3. Om Namah Shivaya
4. Sohum
5. Loka Samasta

Ambient/Rock Instrumental (sub genre new age) Review: The Haiku Project-Gratitude

Release Date: July 17, 2020

Label: myndstream

Website

This is Henrik Hytteballe’s 5th album Gratitude, he is joined by Duduk on guitar and cello as The Haiku Project.

This is entertaining music. I have to say the guitar adds that extra element that makes an instrumental ambient album entirely different.

I would be hesitant to put this into a sub-genre to new age but there is enough there that qualifies it. There are strong elements of rock and some jazz woven into the ten tracks offered here. In other words, to be honest, this is not music that is easily defined but I loved it. It is the guitar that reaches over that line into new territories when you are discussing instrumental music of the ambient nature.

Now I am wondering what the previous four releases from The Haiku Project sound like and I will have to explore that realm some more. I enjoy the challenge of attempting to explain what it is I am exactly hearing. There is a lot to listen to and absorb and that is good thing for any listener that needs some variety and wonderment of what is coming next. That for me is the brilliance of artists that have the wherewithal to produce an entire recording that holds your interest from start to finish.

In 2003 Henrik began studying at D.A.R.K. The Alternative Rhythmic Conservatory in Copenhagen, with piano as his main instrument. He is a very progressive artist and the development of his sound is apparent on this release. It surely is alternative, and alternative to any typical ambient or electronica album you may hear. His studies there surely brought him to an entirely different mindset and approach to what kind of music he would create.

One listen to “Hummingbird” tells the story here (look at the album art). Everything that is cutting edge and cool about the world of instrumental music comes bubbling to the surface on this track. Again, I have to say I am loving every minute of this and would love to hear it all on a vinyl LP, filling my entire room with all of its many colors, textures, atmospheres and brilliant musicianship. There is more, much more to engross you in, but I felt that track was one of the best tracks that showed off the diversity of the music and how it all comes together into one cohesive unit of sound.

I think the theme or concept if you will, has all the markings of a new age thought pattern. Musically this is a different road and one I would not mind traveling again real soon. I do have Gratitude for Henrik Hytteballe and Dudek for this amazing soundscape I have enjoyed on The Haiku Project.

If you enjoy instrumental music in particular, I have no doubt you will find a lot to enjoy on Gratitude.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
September 17, 2020

Track List:
01. Choices 4:48
02. Before Sunset 7:22
03. Another Spring 6:24
04. I Receive 4:50
05. Wide Open Space 4:14
06. Rivendell 4:40
07. My Life 5:14
08. Hummingbird 6:04
09. Fjord 3:52
10. Gratitude 6:14

Cheryl B. Englehardt Interview With The Final On Vinyl Podcast

Instrumental World/New Age Review: Blue Monk/ Michael Whalen- Karmic Dreams

Release Date: September 18th, 2020

Label: myndstream

Websites: https://www.michaelwhalen.com

https://www.realmusic.com/artists/bluemonk-rasull-soon

Sometimes the best and worst things in life are unexpected or spontaneous. For musician Michael Whalen getting Covid19 was unexpected and not welcome. On the other side of that was his music and another door to healing. To all things in life, there is the ying and yang. Sometimes it takes another person to make things happen and that is exactly what happened when Blue Monk came into the picture.

Blue Monk (Rasull), is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist on the Japanese shakuhachi, piano, synthesizer keyboards, acoustic guitar as well as concert flute and erhu. The multitude of world instruments you will hear on his collaboration with Michael Whalen is titled Karmic Dreams.

This will be Michael’s second release this year after the March release of Sacred Spaces. This is what got him back on his feet and healed him from the virus. I have always believed and supported the use of music for healing purposes. In this case, it was the first level of the musical experience, creating it. Michael received the music from Blue Monk then added and mixed his parts in and what you will get to hear in September is the result of that amazing collaboration titled Karmic Dreams.

From the first track “The Secret Garden” I was relaxed and entranced by the instrumentation and atmosphere it created. From that point forward, for my listening viewpoint and experience, it was all linked together. So, for this listener, it was an all-encompassing experience that is easy to convey in words. First, I look at my state of mind and being before listening. I am heading into a week long vacation and have quite a struggle clearing my head and changing my energy, in other words, knocking it down a few levels to enjoy getting some rest and doing things I enjoy more like listening to music, reading, or watching one of my favorite series on TV or Netflix. My strong sense of responsibility to my day job, my role, and contributions there daily keep my energy flow extremely high and one of my main releases is exercise, meditation, or new age instrumental music and sitting down and getting my thoughts down for potential readers and listeners. That is not a chore it is my way of meditating and getting another frame or space where there is no clutter of thoughts or resistance.

The beauty of the instruments that Blue Monk plays gives this recording an ancient worldly feel. He demonstrates exceptional command of the tools of meditation and spirituality. He found what he sought and is now sharing with us, the listeners and seekers of the same. It works very well indeed! All you have to do is prepare the mind, body, and spirit for the transition the music brings and in seconds you can be in another frame of reference where healing and joy exist. It is that simple if you open that invisible portal.

I have to personally relate to this music to give an honest overview with the hope that all of those people that happen to come across my review or listen to samples and eventually buy the music to support these incredible artists, find what I find waiting inside the music.

The flutes are what makes this music so special and feel so mystical. Then as Michael adds all of his production values and synthesizers, electronics, and percussion, what you get is the beautiful combination of the old world meets the new world. This is the kind of mixture you find happening a lot in the new age genre, and I love it.

Michael Whalen and Blue Monk have created a new age world masterpiece that will be a tool for all those seeking comfort, healing, and solace in this very difficult time we are all experiencing on some level.

Your karma and dreams do converge and send very important messages to your soul. Karmic Dreams can be the gateway to where you need to go right now. Give it a listen and let it work its magic, you will not regret it.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
July 19, 2020

Track List:
1. The Secret Garden (4:52)
2. The Way of the Samurai (7:21)
3. Cherry Blossom Heart (5:50)
4. Moonscape (5:30)
5. The Trance (3:52)
6. Boundless Love (7:02)
7. Karmic Dreams (4:29)
 

Guitarist Dennis Haklar & Percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo Journey Into Inner Worlds On New Album “Transcendance”

Guitarist Dennis Haklar & Percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo released their new album “Transcendance” on August 15, 2020. This collaboration between guitarist Dennis Haklar and Grammy award winning master percussionist Giovanni Hidalgo began as a studio improvisation, and developed into a journey to another world. Appearing on “Transcendance” is the beautiful and mysterious Steffie Moonlady adding her ethereal vocals.  Moonlady was instrumental in the overall production of “Transcendance” which offers healing energy to our Planet during this challenging point in time.

“Transcendance” is a journey into inner worlds. It is the process of release through sonic meditation. Travel inward, unafraid, with full belief in yourself, knowing that what others think will not disturb or deter you. Tune into the vibrations of sound and transcend to the “Inner”.

Says Dennis, “Gio and I got together at my studio, ‘Europa’, in Orlando. We recorded a series of improvisations. The sessions were so intense that they lasted for days. I had hours of material to go through and sonically sculpt into what has become ‘Transcendance’. At first it was overwhelming sifting through the best of moments, but that is the beauty of improvisation, you never really know what will happen until you are in the moment. This is a 180 degree spin from trying to create music through online collaboration, or playing to previous recordings, or even to composed music. Improvisation is an art that can take a lifetime, or perhaps several lifetimes to get ‘right’. On the other hand it can happen effortlessly. The key is not to be restricted by expectations of the industry, not to play according to your genre.

 

Giovanni has a huge fan base in the Latin jazz genre, when he and Dennis did this they agreed to be themselves and not be restricted by anyone or anything. The pieces on “Transcendance” were not composed in the conventional sense of ABACAB form, or any form even remotely related to that. Essentially, the duo strove to create a new genre. The music is hard to classify, they will leave that up to the listeners...

Says Dennis, “Living with the tracks, I studied them and began to extrapolate what were the most powerful moments. I then added my sounds and created the transcendant textures. At the point where it began to really take on a life of its own I decided to bring in Steffie Moonlady to add her vocalizations rounding out the textures with a beautiful female touch. Once she completed her tracks, I presented it to Gio and asked if he was cool with his tracks. He came back to add some fine points, icing on the cake. The mixing took months to complete. On certain pieces, I had over 64 tracks to mix. Moonlady was very instrumental in helping me find the right balances, pans, and textures.”

Dennis Haklar first started performing music at Rutgers University.  During this time, he joined the Improvising Structures Ensemble lead by minimalist composer Dan Goode. The group also featured jazz saxophonist Eric Kloss. They performed the music of John Cage, Terry Riley and others. After a few years playing with this ensemble he left to work as a session guitarist at Pyramid Recording Studio. He eventually became the chief engineer of the studio and worked with Gloria Gaynor, Kool and The Gang, Whitney Houston and many others. Dennis released his first solo work “Lizard’s Tale” as a composer, arranger, engineer and producer utilizing what he learned over the years. The album featured Larry Coryell, Jon Anderson, Mark Egan and Thierry Arpino. After working with Larry Coryell on “Lizard’s Tale”, Dennis got to know Larry Coryell better and they started working together more and more. They became close friends. Coryell asked Dennis to work on the final Eleventh House album “Seven Secrets”. He composed “Dragon’s Way” with bassist John Lee and played acoustic on the album.

During his career, Giovanni Hidalgo has worked with Bola Abimbola, Sikiru Adepoju, Art Blakey, Muruga Booker, Jack Bruce, Don Byron, Candido Camero, D'Angelo, Paulinho da Costa, Steve Gadd, Sammy Hagar, Kip Hanrahan, Zakir Hussain, Cassius Khan, Airto Moreira, Charlie Palmieri, Tito Puente, Hilton Ruiz, Paul Simon, and Carlos “Patato” Valdes. Hidalgo received a Grammy Award for his contribution to the album “Planet Drum” performed by an ensemble of the same name led by Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead. He played on another one of Hart's Grammy-winning albums, Global Drum Project and on the album Danzón (Dance On) by Arturo Sandoval which won the 1995 Grammy Award for Best Latin Jazz Performance. In May 2010, Hidalgo was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music.

“Haklar and Hidalgo seamlessly blend their talents across a sonic landscape that evokes a wide emotional range, at times both energizing and tranquil, resulting in an impressionistic feast for the ears. With its tasteful use of ethereal guitars, globe-trotting percussion parts, and spacey vocal flourishes, ‘Transcendance’ provides a vastly rewarding listening experience.” - Paul Sky

In closing Dennis has this to impart, “It is our hope that our music will give you a sense of inner peace. We are here together on this planet dealing with challenges as they happen. We all have the innate ability to Transcend. Reach inward and outward knowing that we are part of a something greater. Release by taking a moment out of your day through ‘Transcendance’. Love and Light!”

Tracks

1. Bongui

2.Timba

3.Venus

4.Flamas Azul

5.Crystalline

6.Inner

7.Crotales

8.Mara

9.Shekere

10.Invo

11.Frames

Giovanni Hidalgo: All percussion including Congas, Tablas, Bongos, Chekere, Crystal and Metal Bowls, Shakers, Rainstick, Wooden Sticks, Bodhran, Bells, Chimes, Synthesized Percussion.

Dennis Haklar: Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Bass Guitar, Citera, Synthesizers including Roland Guitar Synth, Moog, Arp 2600 Modular Synth, Samples, Analog Tape Effects.

Stefanie (Moonlady) Haklar: Vocals, Processed Voices

Recorded at Europa Studio, Orlando, Florida 2020

Recording, Mixing, and Mastering Engineer; Dennis Haklar

Assistant Engineer; Stefanie (Moonlady) Haklar

Produced by; Dennis Haklar, Stefanie Haklar (Steffie Moonlady), and Giovanni Hidalgo

Compositions by; Dennis Haklar and Giovanni Hidalgo ©℗ 2020

Moon Phase Publishing (BMI) / Hidalgo Speaks Music (ASCAP)

Graphic Design (Album Cover): Erik Haklar

To purchase:

https://dennishaklar.com

Amazon Music:

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=giovanni+hidalgo+and+dennis+haklar&crid=IWBHFYZ43PG6

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/album/transcendance-feat-dennis-haklar-giovanni-hidalgo-steffie/1527138426

Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Giovanni_Hidalgo_and_Dennis_Haklar_Transcendance?id=Bfhnlncj2lafdxiymqzgbt6oc6i&hl=en_US

For more information:

https://dennishaklar.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/dennishaklar

Press inquiries: Glass Onyon PR, PH: 1-828-350-8158, glassonyonpr@gmail.com

New Age Vocal Review: Ananta Govinda-Mirror of Desire

Release Date: August 28, 2020

Label: Independent

Website

 

I have heard some very unique spiritual new age music this year. This surely aligns with what a unique year 2020 has been. Using that terminology pretty much sugar coats what kind of experience we have had up until now. It has been a terrible time with a pandemic, civil unrest, wars, fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes, and floods devastating cities everywhere. We are seemingly on the brink of extinction at times. Mother nature is very upset with our mistreatment of her sacred offerings and all living things are paying a price.

With all of this in mind, some artists are responding to all of the pain and suffering with some very good music. One of those artists is Ananta Govinda with his recent release Mirror of Desire. The cover of the album reminds me of the colorful graphic novels that my son got in the early 2000s.

From The Artist Website: Mirror of Desire is 3 part musical journey that is part of a multimedia juggernaut that will see an accompanying book, set for release on Amazon on October 30th, and an immersive show in a 360-degree projection dome, where he is forging new creative styles for combining music and visual storytelling into a groundbreaking presentation (once live events return).

Now, that is exciting and promises to be transformative for anyone that attends. I say that because this kind of spiritual outreach is normally contained in the music and artwork or words to the tracks, this is going to be a memorable experience once it arrives.

From an entirely musical perspective, I enjoyed this recording. I am gradually hearing more new age-related releases with vocals. I do have to say I was not sure at first, and if I could adjust or accept this after many years of strictly instrumental albums. It has been a pleasant experience that I fully embrace and artists such as Ananta Govinda have assisted in bringing me down that road to this destination. That place is acceptance which in turn brings about change and the subsequent growth from that positivity of moving forward.

“Mazes of The Mind” was my favorite track. I felt it symbolized the very essence of this presentation and the vocals and musicality of it all were amazing. It made me smile inside and delivered the necessary message to me swiftly and convincingly. The mind is a complex maze of thoughts and emotions and if you stop and think about how many things that go through it minute by minute, second by second, day by day, it is a wonder. Science tells us we only develop a very small part of our brain while we are alive and as we get older the sharpness of our minds begins to deteriorate. I think the key is to always be learning, thinking, and using our abilities, and then it will continue to grow and expand. Music does help the activity in the cranium and it affects our brains immediately upon listening. For me, it opens the door to possibilities that under normal circumstances would not come to mind.

What I recognized about this album was the different types of music that come to a boil in an all-inclusive melting pot. The styles come at you with a trajectory straight to the heart and mind and with a definitive impact. It touches all of your senses at once. This will make an impression upon anyone that hears it. There is a mixture of pleasing vocal styles, world, jazz, new age, and a meditative essence that takes hold right at the beginning of your listening experience and it gets stronger and clearer with each passing track. Time is of the essence as well with every track ranging from 4 to over 6 minutes except for “Room of Darshan,” clocking in at 2:10 minutes.

There are many contributors to this project and it is one of healing that we all need to hear. Deep down I know the earth and its inhabitants will have a spiritual awakening so we all can heal and take the earth along with us. This is my Mirror of Desire that I pray will become our reality. This kind of music is a reminder from whence we came. It touches our inner being and brings about positive thinking and a desire to translate that through the music to all the people you come into contact with. After all, we all want the same thing, and, in the end, music is another tool to get us all there.

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck
September 4, 2020

Track List:
1. Mirror of Desire (5:44)
2. Self Writing Book (feat. Indubious) (4:18)
3. Golden Goddess (feat. Will Calhoun) (5:48)
4. Mazes of the Mind (feat. Lili Haydn)(4:24)
5. Onto the Timelessness (5:02)
6. River of Time (feat. Pierre Edel) (4:16)
7. Room of Darshan (2:10)
8. Mantras of Paradesha (6:38)