Customer Reviews

Harmonic Meetings

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David Hykes has mastered Overtone singing and showcases it here with the members of the Harmonic Choir (a group assembled by Hykes). This Double CD has been a wonderful source of otherworldly transport for us and after the initial curiosity of the Harmonic Chant we found ourselves returning over and over again to these CDs.

"The text consists of a few sacred words from the Abrahamic religions with most sections involving vocalizing on vowel sounds. In this abbey, two voices sound like ten. When the harmonics focus, it sounds like ten voices more. The overall effect is one of startling majesty. It is earthy and other-wordly at the same time... I can't help but think how the world would change if five minutes of this were played on Top Forty radio several times a day." -Andrew Fischer, 1/1

One of the most extraordinary recordings I've ever heard, this is chanting with overtones, like one can hear sung by Tibetan monks. Recorded in 1986 at the abbey of Le Thoronet, France, the first two selections use the accompaniment of tambura, and the final piece on each CD includes a drum, otherwise these pieces are for 1, 2, or 3 voices, and the enormity of the sound will amaze you.

This sound achieved by David Hykes is unearthly. Peaceful, moving, magical. Great to meditate to. Perhaps one could describe it as a hybrid between Gregorian chant and Middle Eastern Sufi music, but in reality, this is an entirely new musical animal, one of a kind and almost impossible to duplicate.

"Foregather in the Name" is a 15 minute piece for three voices and drum that's spectacular, as is the short solo by Timothy Hill, "Eleison Closing". This two CD set is the original one tape cassette (which had approximately 40 minutes on each side) and it does have the annoying flap that lifts from the center holding both CDs, but in this case, the flap is worth lifting. This is music that might levitate your soul to a place of great joy.

To this very day I find it difficult to explain what this music does in terms of shifting my consciousness. David Hykes' resonant chanting shifts one's cognitive system into virtual silence that allows one's awareness to move smoothly and progressively toward the sublime indescribable states that correspond to the purest intent.

This CD takes you on an exquisite journey into yourself... A master with overtones and chants... A unique blend of Tibetan sounds and Sacred Chants... awesome.

I have loved this CD set from the first time I heard it. I don't know what it is about this recording, but whenever I listen to it I get the feeling that I am listening to sacred music in my own personal sacred space. These CDs just exude a feeling of sacred spaciousness. I can listen for hours and never tire of it.

The sound quality is quite good and I always feel as if I am being transported to the inside of the cathedral where this music was performed. I don't know how the recording equipment was able to pick up that quality, but it is really palpable in this recording -- more so here than in any other that David Hykes has released. He's really captured something mystical and magical....

For me, listening to these CDs is a unique experience -- I know of no other recordings which transport me to a 'real' sacred place as well as these do.