Customer Reviews

Shri Durga

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Rhythm, earthy and deep.. vocals, soaring in wordless praise.. a musical approach that blends different traditions into a beautifully seamless whole. I'm a complete neophyte when it comes to the various musical traditions of Indian culture, so I'm sure I don't even understand the extent of what DJ Sabbah has done here. I just know that Shri Durga is as accessible as it is faithfully traditional, and as hypnotic as it is organic. As you've probably read by now, it's something of a blend of classical ragas, performed by a cast of Hindu and Muslim musicians, with an element of modern techno.. but very light on the techno. If you want a helping of raga and tala suitable for the club dance floor, try Maha Maya (Cheb's mix-oriented followup to this) or anything by Talvin Singh or Tabla Beat Science. This disc is for relaxing, for sleeping, for meditating or just quietly chilling out.

The element of electronica is not always even noticeable - "Kese Kese"'s slight touch of mixology could just as easily be mistaken for handclaps in the background. "Maheshvara Yogi" is ten minutes of hypnotic meditation, its vocal chants easily gliding through space with all the time in the world to spare, without any techno accompaniment at all. Then, right away, "Ganga Dev" and "Radhe Krishna" provide some of the most propulsive beats on the disc (though still not overriding the primal earthy rhythm that forms the basis of all the music in the first place). The entire offering is a marvelous buffet of reverent chants in the classic tradition, while the techno element is never more than a subtle seasoning. Cheb's mixing contribution isn't limited to the subdued beats either: he samples Muslim prayers, "mantric ambiances" from India, and various public chants and rituals to join with his own compositions.

Looking for an exotic/calming listening experience? You can't go wrong with either of DJ Cheb i Sabbah's 'regular' albums. Between this and Krishna Lila, I can't even pick a favorite. Want to get up and shake something? Then pick Maha Maya to start. They're all full of beauty well worth hearing, and as foreign as this whole style may sound, there's something immediate about it that makes it accessible to anyone with open ears. Everything is closer than you think.

Take the best traditional devotional music and seamlessly mix hypnotic tracks into it and you have something that is unique and utterly absorbing. This is not a club/dance mix. This is a tribute to the Mother in a very deep and hearfelt way. This guy knows his stuff, choosing vocal music of the highest order, sprinkled with unearthly sounds of various Indian instruments, and, some dashes of trancelike western beats, Cheb I Sabbah has really concocted a magical mix from deep within and is not afraid to let it stand on its own without the use of gimmicks to make it a more commercial and dance oriented sound. The beats are there, but, not the way they are usually heard on the more techno/world beat offerings. This is a cd you really need to sit down and listen to. A real masterpiece that can appeal to the classical listener as well as the club goer. I'm surprised something this good made the Amazon Best List.

As a fan of classical Indian music I was a little hesitant about buying this CD. Although it is definitely not traditional, it has all the right sounds and they are tastefully mixed to subtly lift the listener into a higher world. After the OM chanting on the final track fades to silence, much later one still finds himself subconsciously chanting along. I agree with other listeners that "Shri Durga" is a spiritually moving experience, not a Punk/Rap/Rock perversion.

"Shri Durga" is recorded beautifully. Several of its instrumental interludes are heart renderingly exquisite! Fortunately, the richness and subtle tonal inflections inherent in Indian music are not lost in the DJ mix. One almost feels that he is in the living presence of the performers and their instruments - very intimate. If you like Jai Uttal and Krishna Das then go for "Shri Durga"!

I'm a fan of both classic Hindu music and Dance music, so when I saw this CD in the record store, I had to pick it up. When I got it home and played it, I was overwhelmed-the first track, Shri Durga, moved me to tears the first time I heard it. It's not often music has this effect on me, but when I closed my eyes and listened, it was as if I was taken away to a sensuous paradise...excellent! Buy this just for the first track alone! However, the rest of the album was very well put together-I liked the classic chants mixed in with the DJ beats-it's danceable without being silly or bubblegum-ish. Actually, I feel more comfortable sitting and meditating or working on my art to this recording than dancing-it moves my heart and spirit much more than my body! Get it NOW!

I felt that this CD was wonderfully mixed with both the eastern and western qualities equally felt. It is also interesting to listen to the chants, mantras and various musical and non-musical intruments which were used to create an effect of actually being somewhere on the banks of the Ganges.

This album is one of my favorites for its basis on traditional music with enough of a modern twist to make it more accessible to those who might not understand or be familiar with Indian or Pakistani music.

I am particularly fond of Kese Kese, Mere Kabu, Ganga Dev and Radhe Krishna for the sensuous rhythms and vocals. In Shri Durga, Maheshvara Yogi and Durga Puja the use of traditional instruments and chants soothes the listener and the segues using sounds of rain or running water is evocative and restful. I find this one of the most spiritual collections of music I own but enjoy listening to it while driving and doing my household chores as well as creating my art or just relaxing. It puts me in touch with the spiritual in every aspect of my life. (It also puts my husband in the "mood" which is always good. :))

I would love to hear more of this music with its emphasis on traditional and just a touch of modern.

I don't really have the appropriate terminology to describe Indian classical music, but this album is deeply moving and deeply spiritual and certainly speaks to my heart. It is rich in texture, with mantras, prayers, a variety of voices and nature sounds weaving in and out of the mix, creating a truly unique ambience. There are no less than eight vocalists and the tabla and sitar playing is superb. The packaging is a high quality double fold-out case and an insert with a beautiful picture of a temple on the one side. All those who like "world music" should definitely investigate Shri Durga. Those who like their music with a dance-beat, will probably prefer "Maha Maya: Shri Durga remixed,". ... .

An incredible CD. Contemporary and traditional at the same time. Mala Ganguly on vocals is just amazing! Much better than the most Asian Underground stuff(see Talvin Singh, Asian Dub Foundation) Those guys make you wanna get up and dance while "Shri Durga" just takes you into a deep, spiritual experience. To me, the best thing coming out of this musically boring year..

this is my favorite album today. what i like most about it is that the emphasis of the album is NOT the electronica but rather the indian classical music.

particularly noteworthy are some of the artists featured on this cd, especially ustad sultan khan on sarangi and ustad tari khan on tabla.

i'm a big fan of the so called asian underground but this is definitely on another level. it's highly spiritual and very patient.

listening to this cd will bring you back to (hopefully fond) memories of hot and crowded temples filled with smiling devotees; the rains in the background of some tracks also bring the same warm acceptance of the monsoons in the summertime there.

this album is a journey. listen to it carefully and inhale deeply.

This cd is simply wonderful. I am new to Asian Underground. I heard this cd in a yoga class and WOW! It is tradtional with slow techno thrown in. Background noises such as Water, birds, bells, people talking, a dog barking, chanting, peacocks...ect...set such a mood. The one voice on this album that strikes me the most is Mala Ganguly. She makes my hair rise in a braid. In Yoga of Sound, the last track on the cd, her voice is just haunting. Safqat Ali Khan together with Mala Ganguly in Love Dreams, track #2, takes me away to India. Those two singing in River Mercury will have you up dancing around the room, it is my favorite. It sounds like great belly dancing music with club grooves thrown in for good measure.
Gazelle Memories has great slow club grooves as well. Divine Pastime has Ustad Sultan Khan paired with Mala Ganguly chanting Hari Krishna (sp?) to a slow club beat. I find myself chanting this driving down the road, doing laundry, wondering around the mall...ect. Waiting for Parvati is meditative with its slow chanting somewhere in the background. Beautiful. I love every single song on this album. It has become my favorite and has started me down a road to world music. If you like music from different cultures with great beats you will probably love this one. Be aware that the samples do no justice. Take a chance and buy it! DJ Cheb is truly a master in every sense of that word. Barbara :}