Punya had a sneak preview of Deva Premal’s latest album, to be launched Friday, 12th June.
DEVA – The Instrumental Meditations
with Manose, Joby Baker, Anoushka Shankar
7 tracks – 61:39
Download album and tracks from: devapremalmiten.com
What’s interesting with this album is actually the absence of Deva’s voice, as strange as this might sound. What we hear is the foundation, the backing tracks of her album Deva, one of her best-loved and acclaimed recordings that was launched in 2018 and nominated for the 2020 Grammy Awards for Best New Age Album.
“To take Deva’s voice away seems crazy, but what lies beneath is a gorgeous musical landscape, perfect for quiet moments of deep contemplation,” says Miten, executive producer and Deva’s partner in life and music.
It’s as if she wanted, with this edition, to honour the tremendous contribution of her fellow musicians and acknowledge their skills, showcasing the glory and beauty of this tapestry of string pads, guitar, cello, bass and percussion, highlighted by the sitar and bansuri melodies.
The track I like best – I thought this would be easy – is maybe the upbeat and groovy ‘Sarva Mangala’, but the calming and meditative ‘Buddham Sharanam’ might be just what I would need to calm me down in traffic (of mind, too) or have running in the background of a massage session. But then, ‘Vakratunda Mahakaya’ with Manose’s kalimba is so endearing… I choose them all as my favourites!
Here the list of tracks:
Seven Chakra Gayatri Mantra (Instrumental)
Sarva Mangala (Instrumental)
Prabhujee (feat. Anoushka Shankar) (Instrumental)
Buddham Sharanam (feat. Manose) (Instrumental)
Mahamantra (Instrumental)
Vakratunda Mahakaya (Instrumental)
Seven Chakra Gayatri Mantra (Prabhu Mix) (Instrumental)
The team that has been supporting Deva and Miten’s music is – front and centre – beloved Nepalese bansuri maestro, Manose, who has been alongside them – for recordings, concerts and workshops – for more than 15 years; and Canadian musician/producer Joby Baker, who excels on just about any instrument; piano, bass, drums, percussion, keyboards and guitar (acoustic and electric) as well as voice. (It’s amazing to watch him move from one instrument to the other as if it was the most natural thing to do.)
Joby has produced all Deva Premal and Miten’s albums since 2012 and we have seen him live while touring with them for the past six years. Miten says about him, “Joby is a dreamcatcher. His visionary expertise creates the perfect environment for the musicians to shine. Usually, as backing musicians they are undercover, but here now, they are revealed in all their excellence.”
Star guest on DEVA – The Instrumental Meditations is renowned sitar virtuoso and multi-Grammy nominee, Anoushka Shankar, notably in her father Ravi Shankar’s composition ‘Prabhujee’ (track 3). Having studied with her father, Anoushka is now one of the most accomplished and celebrated instrumentalists.
We have spoken about Deva Premal, Miten and Manose – and given them space to talk themselves – in countless articles on Osho News, that they do not need a special introduction in this article, but I invite you to follow the links (above) or read:
Miten on Deva Premal, Manose and Osho – Miten is interviewed in Corfu where he held a concert and the singing workshop together with Deva Premal and Manose (2010)
On the Wings of Mantra: in conversation with Miten – David Holzer interviews Miten for the Budapest Business Journal (2019)
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