Customer Reviews

Bliss

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Every once in a while, an album inspires and transends me beyond human senses. This is one such album. Bliss is simply brilliant! Going beyond the realm of just 'world music', this phenomenal compilation takes the listenser to the four corners of our beautiful planet, drifting, floating, astral travelling in a timeless dimension. Enchanting and hauntingly melodic, Bliss will not disappoint those with well tuned ears and an appreciation for simply unspoilt and pure music at its best.

There are some pieces of music that seem to transcend being itself. One such piece is "Svetasvatara Upanishad" by Sarmila Roy. One of the best pieces of music I have ever heard, maybe even the best. The word "Bliss" does not even begin to describe it. After listening to this piece I hardly feel like living any more, so tempting it is to just forget everything and let go.
A piece like this alone justifies the whole album. But there are two more excellent pieces here: "Orovela" by The Tsinandali Choir and "Abha" by Iarla O Lionaird. Ayub Ogada and U Srinivads& Michael Brook are also very nice. The rest is the usual uneven "World Music" mishmash.
Buying it just for the "Svetasvatara Upanishad" is worth it.

This CD it really terrific. Some of the pieces, especially Kothbiro by Ayub Ogada, are really beautiful. Some are just dreamy like Angel Tech, and some are haunting like Mekong by Jam Nation. It starts off with a nice piece by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan which runs right into Gabriel's Zaar. In fact the whole album just kind of blurs together since they run one piece right into the next piece, instead of stopping the song cold. A really relaxing and nice effect. All the pieces go well together-NOT a "mish mash of world music" as one reviewer wrote. All the songs are wonderful and don't need to be put into categories.

We are the world, etc. Nothing new as far as that goes, of course, but it's great to see such fantastic artists as U Srinivas and Sheila Chandra pushed out a little farther into mainstream awareness. The album's mix is unparallelled and the track selection superb, but unfortunately the collection never rises above the sum of its parts.

It's certainly useful for relaxation and meditation, though I generally prefer the consistent tone provided by a single artist or group. It's also an outstanding introduction to the Real World label and the quiet side (don't say New Age, please) of world music in general. You can't go wrong with Bliss, but make sure to graduate to the full-length albums of the singers and players herein.

"Bliss" is an appropriate introduction into the world music category. For the novice fan of world (such as myself), it serves as a sampler platter of some of the best that is available in this genre. For the seasoned listener, it is a collection of the best musicians in world music. This album is solid. Then again, do you ever expect any less from Peter Gabriel? "Bliss" is a mix of world music that works together to form a euphonious sound experience, despite its' eclectic constitution.

I made the mistake of listening to it in its entirety in the middle of the day as I was finishing up some work and ended up falling asleep before I finished what needed finishing. Unless you are one of those people who solely listen to tribal "sounds of the rainforest"... this c.d. has a sedating effect. However, with the right timing, "Bliss" proved to be an effective salve for the wounds inflicted by everyday life... (i can't believe I just wrote that). It's a great c.d. to wind down to. Because I am not fully acquainted with this genre of music, I cannot begin to describe in adequate terms how wonderful the music is. Just know that it is, indeed, wonderful. Chinese Canon is my personal favorite for its optimistic and almost vocal melody lines. That and it works well with the acoustics in my bathroom, soaring almost and making the 5x10 space seem cavernous.

The melodies transport you and you get a sense of both richly complex mystery and blinding realization. The compilation is an excellent one and thoroughly satisfying. "Bliss" boasts the innovative spirit of ambient and discards the cheesiness of "New Age," making for an excellent world album. If you're just getting into world music, this album is a great one to start off with. If you are, in fact, a longtime listener, "Bliss" may prove to be a bit too jumpy for your taste.

The producers of this CD are asking you to trust them, as they lead you to places within your imagination and soul that you may have not noticed before and need to know better.Crossing the artificial boundries of nations and tounges, this CD shows that the language of the heart - no matter what the lyrics - can be understood and be well fed with skill and talent and passionate bliss. I hope they produce another CD in this ilk.

Next time you have a really lousy day at work, go home, shoo everyone out of one room, turn the lights down, put on this CD and lie down. By the end of the CD, everything will seem OK. Superbly and seamlessly mixed, these tracks are great for kicking the brain into gear.

...and a great disc in its own right. This album takes tracks from some of Real World's most innovative (and popular) albums and strings them together, creating a smooth segue from one song to the next. The tracks are adroitly suggestive of the softer side of "world" music.

Highlights are too numerous to list (every track is worth listening to). You'll come away from this album with a shopping list in hand, returning here to buy full albums from the artists represented on "Bliss."

Recommended.