India Mystica (Songs Of The Indian Mystics)

Shubha Mudgal, who has established herself as one of India's leading singers, takes on a great challenge with this. She has proven herself in several areas, but now tries on the bhajan style for size. It's not Indian classical music, but rather religious songs from some famous mystics who were renowned for their poetry. It's not easy material, by any means, but she acquits herself to near-perfection on "Gaayi Gaayi Ab Kaa Kahi Gaaoon," with its slow, trance-y vocal and understated accompaniment. Indeed, everything here is performed with a great amount of compassion and control -- which turns out to be exactly what the music needs. The poetry of the words is ecstatic and Mudgal's approach works beautifully with it, allowing the lyrics to shine while her performances, especially on the epic "Ras Gagan Gufaa Mein Ajar Jharay," take the piece ever higher. The music itself comes from Mudgal's pen (on all the tracks), and the length of the pieces, ranging from nine to a more-than-challenging 15 minutes, allows her to fully develop and explore the moods. With excellent liner notes, this makes for a stunning release. ~ Chris Nickson|