Customer Reviews

Kiva

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a potent recording. Put it on earphones, turn it up loud, and buckle your seatbelt (or blast the speakers). Having participated in two of the particular ceremonies that this recording is DEDICATED TO and HONORS the spirit of, namely the Ayahuasca circle and the Wiwinyag Wacipi (traditional Sun Dance) I truly feel that this recording invokes the textural 'feel' of my own experiences. This is not a recording seeking to be a traditional "Native American" recording. Far, far from it. With Australian didjeridoo, a variety of wildlife from the Amazon, various bird-bone whistles, as well as Steve Roach's and Michael Stearns' dynamic soundworlds...this recording, punctuated with the authentic icaros, will carry you into psychic spaces, soul-places, where deep holographic perception occurs and timely insights are revealed without entheogens, though I assure you it is potent used in that expression. But, as is usually the case, with Steve's music...the music IS the medicine.

While certainly not most people's cup of tea, this is one of the most powerful pieces of sacred music ever recorded. This is late 20th century electro-acoustic music created by artists intimately familiar with the ancient plant medicine traditions of the Americas. While I wouldn't recommend it to everyone, for those interested in this kind of transcendental musical experience, I cannot recommend it highly enough.

Michael Stearns and Steve Roach are both highly esteemed members of the electronic music world, but this album stands as an interesting sidestep for both of them from their respective immense catalogs of material. It is a nearly seamless blend of the modern techno-tribal ambient and the ancient shamanic tradition. The album flows well from track to track, even if the two-minute "passages" tend to be repetitive. Each of the Kivas represented are quite good, but my personal favorite is still the first, "Calling in the Midnight Water." It perfectly mixes heartfelt singing with field recordings, desert sounds, and simply beautiful drifting synth soundscapes.

It is far from the best material released by any of these artists, but is certainly not the weakest, either. If you are feeling musically adventurous and don't mind being challenged, give this a listen... and you will be rewarded.

I do not get the responses of some of the previous reviewers. Frankly, they just don't get it. The Kiva, of course, is the sacred architectural relic of the peyote ritual, but this music is inspired by the recognition that the New World pursuit of spiritual discovery through the use of ethnogenic botanicals involves more than one culture, more than one botanical, and is both archaic and modern. This is modern music for "analogueros". It is strong to the point where, sometimes, the emotion is almost painful. If you are familiar with Terrance McKenna, and find his point of view of value, then you should by all means hear this album--don't be put off by reviewers who have made the mistake that this is an interpretation of Native American culture--the word Kiva, in this context, is a metaphor--with as much significance as the word Patio might have for a Hispanic. They could have used a variety of other metaphors--heart cave--well of souls--serpents lair. Somebody needs to get over it.

I agree with that listener that confers 5 stars. I remeber the first time I listened to this CD. The room was dark, with no disturbance, only the sound. And after the few first seconds of the first Kiva I was transported to the desert... I think it's one of the milestone, breathtaking works of Steve. I mean, Steve has very good works and turning points. So, among the last I would put Kiva along with Dreamtime Return and Body Electric, in terms of innovation and significance. It's music for experience and one have to be sensitive enough.

I absolutely love Kiva. Thus album is a journey through lands of awesome intensity. Every time I decide to go to Kiva land I am amazed at the depth created within the 67 minute running time. The other reviewers unfortunatley missed out on the visionary creation contained within Kiva.

A truly wonderful sonic experience,thunder and fires abound as the cd takes you on a journey of shamanic visions from some ancient civilization featuring drums, chants, and eerie otherworldly sounds.If you enjoy phychedelic type music you will love this cd, it has mostly slow as mollases moments followed by great energetic moments that seem to prepare you for a great war. A great collaboration from 3 masters. JC

The very first track of Sunsinger's masterwork Kiva is a extremely powerful evokation of non-human spirit entities and should be listened to with reverance, the words of it shoul only be pronounced when you are seeking audience. Kiva mixes the free-form syth sound of M.Roach with actual Kiva, Ayuhuska, and peyote chants to create a pivotal masterpiece which belongs in the collection of any true mystic. Use it as a meditation; just listen in solitude to the spells being woven.

2 1/2

For pseudo-authentic native American flavor, this redundantly refined new age offering can be less embarrassingly contrived than others like it.

This work with 2 great artists just didn't come out very well and I am glad they didn't try to do any further themes of this nature