Martyrs Of Sound - Radhe's Dream

"Martyrs Of Sound specialize in meditative music. Clean, simple, warm and full of the essence of music, Radhe's Dream is simply a heavenly joy to close your eyes to. Opening with "Song of the Universe" the music is dominated by the warmth of a slowly plucked 12 String Guitar with minimal keyboard swirls in the background and the occasional other acoustic instrument echoing in the background. Seamlessly flowing into "Soul's Awakening" which adds in piano to the original track and slowly some soft vocal hums and some lovely rain stick work too. "Soul's Emergence" continues to grow on the four chords that have been gradually weaved upon with some tuned percussion and some stereo electronica work before "Song of the Beloved" adds in some wonderful electric-acoustic guitar work over the top. The whole album carries a certain cyclic feel throughout and is absolutely hypnotic even by track four. Even though it is effectively a four chord repetition and doesn't feel like it. "Radhe's Dream" starts a new phase of the album where the same chords are kept but not with the same pitch as the guitar softens and is taken up an octave before "Radhe's Dream" itself kicks in and finally we have our first vocal lead with soft harmonized and doubled up vocal patterns. It's about as close to a single as you can get on the album and is easy to enter into as a standalone track although the album works best played as a whole entity. The guitar work throughout is beautiful. "Govinda's Dream" enters a third phase of the cycle as we enter a shimmering sparkling world and the four-chord pattern becomes a single droning Raj. Guitar free flows over the top while an electric percussive beat pans beautifully from ear to ear. "Om Shanti" takes things further with a more complex arrangement merging the Asian with the blues. It's the blues that wins out in time for "Soul's Tantra" which starts to repeat a riff that has been present over the last few tracks but in a more subtle way while the vocals take more prominence here and in "Song of Jai". By this point you should be utterly relaxed as the Raj gives way to "Soul Awakening Reprise" which soon returns to the beautiful four chord structure and "Radhe's Dream Reprise" shows that actually, the Raj and four chord structures were together all along and we just hadn't felt them both in our presence at the same time. As if then being pulled out of the circle and being cleansed "Beautiful" then appears to close the album with all the elements that we've had throughout the album brought together... ...in one beautifully heart-wrenching and ethereal track. Martyrs Of Sound have achieved a wonderful album. This is ultimate relaxation music. Enhanced with a warm bath, candles, maybe even drifting off with a loved one - I whole heartedly recommend this to anyone into acoustic relaxation music with heart and substance - not the tepid and soulless meditation music that's all about a single phasing keyboard note. This takes you literally to a Higher Plain of Music." Simon, Higherplainmusic.com "Nice work! Really polished production." Christopher Tin, multi-Grammy winning composer "Thank you so much for your amazing album! I use it in my healing sessions, I use it when I go get a massage, I use it when friends come over to relax AND I use it when I get ready for bed to take me to dreamland! ? ? ? Thank you for this gift! I LOVE IT! It's exactly what I was wishing for in a new album!" Kimmie Fleck, Nashville recording artist.