Customer Reviews

Space Hotel

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Al Gromer Khan is a master of Indian-themed music, perfectly blending sitar and vocals in a shimmering tapestry of melody and harmony. I first heard of his work when I bought Mahogany Nights, an older spacemusic album published by Hearts of Space.

This album is much the same style, except with a vocalist on one track instead of a synth "voice." The tracks flow easily into the next, and the melody is carried in waves that soothe and entrance, like watching the smoke from an incense offering in a temple drift lazily towards the ceiling.

The night I listened to this it was warm and humid. I listened to the music as I was working. I left the window open, and I could hear crickets and birds in the darkness, adding their own melody to the sitar, tabla and voices. Then a spring thunderstorm began, and the patter of rain mixed perfectly with the crickets and sitar music.

The effect was amazing. I felt as if I had been transported to another time and place in India. Although I can't guarantee that you too will have the added beauty of crickets and gentle rain when you listen to this CD, it is still an amazing collection of Indian music that is perfect to read to, study to, or relax to.

I purchased this CD mainly on the strength of Gurdjieff's name, he being mentioned on the back. Whatever, this is a most interesting, relaxing and stimulating offering, full of calm and grace. I can't describe this further in words ! Classy, well produced, highly recommended. Buy it if you can find it.

The self-titled "paisley music" of Al Gromer Kahn is a tasty concoction of ethnic instrumentation, Mr. Khan's subtle "electronic sound design," and his understated albeit sensual rhythms. This has been a reliable formula for deep listening over the course of about 18 titles and more than twenty years. "Space Hotel" might be his best, although it's hard to go wrong with almost any selection, and "Sufi" runs a close second (his CDs are my favorite releases on the "New Earth" label.)

On "Space Hotel" the playing is tight, there are surprises like the appearance of viola da gamba on two compositions, and the tracks flow together beautifully. Simply allow yourself to be carried along by the music.

"Space Hotel" is the quintessential CD of "paisley music." Al Gromer Khan constructed an aural tapestry packed with ear candy and a healthy dollop of his sitar and subrahar licks. This is a "multi-layered" CD, and each time I spin "Space Hotel," the CD yields new musical nuances. This is a great CD for headphones, but whether you listen through 'phones or speakers, set aside a time and space to gradually unveil "Space Hotel." This is a magical CD.

Gromer Khan excels with space hotel. It is far more superior to Sufi & Kamasutra. Its deeply meditative with its echoing sitars & wind like synthesizers, while the percussion add an element of mystery & dimensional border to it. It must be listened to for appreciation.

It definitely is not for an upbeat mood, it needs some emptiness to fill, to drive away those heavy clouds inside, very plesant indeed.

I've purchased a number of what I call "ambient" CDs, looking for music that is interesting but mostly quiet and unobtrusive, something you can listen to on endless repeat and not get tired of, while you work for hours at a time. This is one I keep going back to and enjoying again.

It opens up aural spaces that invite mental imagery of sun-baked deserts, central Asian medieval cities, North Africa, Turkey, places that Westerners know only in the imagination. There is an aching melancholy that underlies some cuts, and slow rhythms that suggest the languid movement of camel caravans.

It would be unfair to describe this CD as "mellow," because "mellow" suggests something mindless, and this music is far too intelligent for that. Sound is layered over sound in ways that evoke feelings of ancient worlds, timelessness, and mystery. To my ear, there is not a single musical cliche anywhere in this mix of related but different styles. It's not a CD you'll listen to just once or twice.

Listen to any album by al gromer, there is always one track that he playes his sitar that is usually verey beutiful, but move on to second track and the third and forth and.... it alwayes seemes like he turned the synthesizer on and left the room.depressing boring music.I wish he would forget the synthesizer symphonic sound and play what he playes best. sitar