Al Gromer Khan
BANDCAMP: https://algromerkhan.bandcamp.com/
Munich, Germany – August 30, 2017 – German-born but
with a universal sound, Al Gromer Khan started his career as a sitar player and
composer over four decades ago. Today he sits proudly on over 50 recordings, a
handful of books, and his latest best-selling album release 2016’s Chakra Noir
and the 2017 single release “After the Crash.” Chakra Noir is the latest
representative work in his ambient meets new age repertoire. It joins a myriad
of sound that Al Gromer Khan has created over the years from 1974’s Hesse
Between Music to last year’s Chakra Noir. It is safe to say he has achieved all
of that and then some.
The hypnic sounds od Al Gromer Khan are not new to
the new age community around the world, but new age isn’t a household genre
either, so, it’s important to read up on it if you want to know where it’s been
coming from all these years. If you meditate or do Yoga and these things, then
this album is for you. It’s also for sitar lovers and anyone looking to delve
into an existing world of music outside their usual box. I can recommend this
as an introduction as well as to the new age fans. It had that impact on me and
that is how I know it has crossover appeal for anyone open to extraordinarily
used textures.
The disc begins with “A Simple World With Flowers” and the vocal whispers instantly take effect on the senses. He lets off a few sitar licks throughout this to make its presence known, but nothing too dazzling, just a few spots taken where it’s necessary. You get the point and feel that it will come to life elsewhere but you’re still left with the other effects the opening track has-to offer. It’s like a trip to the medicine man. And that sitar doesn’t take long to come to life, because the whole next number “Degrees Of Tenderness” is based around some very fine playing by this veteran of the instrument. After what is by far the most musically satisfying experience in the set, the rest comes fairly-easy to digest, without taking you through a sitar clinic or something. Instead it’s balanced out with the usual new age bells and whistles, keeping inflections of sitar by not smothering the tracks with it. “Chakra Noir” itself is another story altogether, with a serious approach to the medicinal aspects as the title suggests. It also suggests a nostalgic and stylish flair be added to the subject. It’s hard to describe from an outside perspective, but it’s no less interesting to experience. You just get the feeling it’s real. There’s twelve songs to soak up with a lot of substance between them, so take your pick from the awesome sitar of “A Summer Tale” to the frosty feel of “IM NU” with its delicate powers that almost put you in a trance. These are well-produced time pieces that hold up separately on their own or play together with the same impact on the mind, body, heart and soul. “The Train And The Crow” get you through another fine journey with plenty of great sitar featured before “Rose Of All My Days’ suits the picture with more flowers that lead to “The King’s Companion” and you’re left with all that “Into The Blue” does to you, like it or not.
The disc begins with “A Simple World With Flowers” and the vocal whispers instantly take effect on the senses. He lets off a few sitar licks throughout this to make its presence known, but nothing too dazzling, just a few spots taken where it’s necessary. You get the point and feel that it will come to life elsewhere but you’re still left with the other effects the opening track has-to offer. It’s like a trip to the medicine man. And that sitar doesn’t take long to come to life, because the whole next number “Degrees Of Tenderness” is based around some very fine playing by this veteran of the instrument. After what is by far the most musically satisfying experience in the set, the rest comes fairly-easy to digest, without taking you through a sitar clinic or something. Instead it’s balanced out with the usual new age bells and whistles, keeping inflections of sitar by not smothering the tracks with it. “Chakra Noir” itself is another story altogether, with a serious approach to the medicinal aspects as the title suggests. It also suggests a nostalgic and stylish flair be added to the subject. It’s hard to describe from an outside perspective, but it’s no less interesting to experience. You just get the feeling it’s real. There’s twelve songs to soak up with a lot of substance between them, so take your pick from the awesome sitar of “A Summer Tale” to the frosty feel of “IM NU” with its delicate powers that almost put you in a trance. These are well-produced time pieces that hold up separately on their own or play together with the same impact on the mind, body, heart and soul. “The Train And The Crow” get you through another fine journey with plenty of great sitar featured before “Rose Of All My Days’ suits the picture with more flowers that lead to “The King’s Companion” and you’re left with all that “Into The Blue” does to you, like it or not.
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