Music for the soul
Sky Kisses Earth by Prem Joshua
This post was somehow purged while doing the transfer and so here it is.
Around 1999 I used to work on contract for Medstat, in Ypsilanti, Michigan. I will never forget this person who also used to work on contract with them because when I befriended him he would tell me that though he was born a Christian only what was mentioned in the Upanishads meant anything to him. The other thing he would ask me was Sitar music. He would ask me if I had any good album that was sitar based. I wish I had recommended Ananda Shankar’s fusion debut album but I think the perfect one would have been this one from Prem Joshua titled “Sky Kisses Earth“.
Use it for your Yoga, meditation, relaxation or for pure enjoyment and this album will not disappoint. Sitar was the indian instrument that wooed the west and Prem Joshua takes it to another level with modern sounds and delivers one beautiful, sublime and smooth album.
Here’s a review of the songs.
1. Sky kisses earth – Long but smooth and not certainly boring but not the best song on the album. 13 minutes long. The vocal tune was lifted by Malayalam music director M Jayachandran for one of his songs. Vocals plays an important role in this song and comes with a nice flute solo.
2. Remember this – Lovely flute on the song with minimal percussion including marimba? Some stringed support is provided and at 2.41 min sitar blends in to create that real soft and relaxing feel.
3. Dakini – My No.1 song from the album and one that lasts over 13 min. Here is music for reflection, meditation and prayer. Starts with a mini intro solo on the sitar and then other instruments blend in. Lovely use of bass enhances the beauty of this number. Santoor is also used and so are vocals.
4. Night train – Soft and sad notes of the sitar, this beautiful song also uses the tabla (Indian percussion instrument) and at 1:45 min more modern percussion and flute are heard. Santoor joins in later
5. Seventh eclipse – Synthesized bass and tabla start the song, santoor plus another instrument that I am not able to recognize join in. Sitar then comes in and later flute and keyboards join in too to make a pleasing number.
6. Earth kisses sky – Song that is played more briskly then the rest of the songs on the album. The Piano is beautiful and santoor, flute and vocals compliment the song. Lovely flute solo in the song too. For the second sitar solo, only keyboards (strings) are used.
Worth every listen.
