Customer Reviews

Voices From the Sky

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Voices From The Sky" is a gorgeous (though somehow too short) collection of Tibetan music by a young Chinese singer. In the note for the first song, there is a reference to the Tibetan deity who gives musical skill to outstanding singers. You'd almost suspect that the Melodious Goddess had given a tweak to this album.

Among them is the haunting "Ballad of Lhasa" with its opening of fluting pipes and background drums, the difficult-to-decipher "Question From The Other Shore," the thunder-accented "Sixth Dalai Lama's Love Song," and "Believer" ("I suddenly heard/the true world of your prayer").

The musical instruments include bamboo flutes, keyboards, and drums. And occasionally there is a massive chorus; I had to crank down the volume. Another cool touch is the thunder in "Love Song." My main complaint with Dadawa's album is that occasionally it becomes a little too piercing; her voices soars up where it hurt my ears. But her voice is more often than not melodious and soft, a bit more like Enya, except that she sings words that are a bit choppier than Gaelic. And the lyrics are listed both in their original language, as well as an English translation that reveals their poetic meanings.

A gorgeous album that brims over with unique music, by a very talented young woman and a religious leader with a great deal of poetic skill.

I honestly do not understand people who complain that Dadawa merely exploits the cultural heritage of Tibet in her albums "Sister Drum" and "Voices from the Sky" (i.e. cultural colonialism of sorts) and that her works are not "true" Tibetan music. Well, hello! She never claimed that her works are "true" Tibetan music, she was merely influenced by Tibetan culture during her travels in Tibet. Read the inserts, people. Her works are influenced in equal measure by both Tibetan music and traditional Chinese music, and her fusion of both into something sublime is to be commended. Accusing her and her producers of "exploiting" Tibetan culture is like accusing Deep Forest of "exploiting" native cultures around the world by incorporating native music into their worldwide hits such as "Sweet Lullaby". And saying that buying her CDs is like hanging a beautiful Tibetan knife on one's wall i.e. doing something that does nothing to further one's understanding of Tibetan culture - well that's just plain silly. One has to start somewhere, and if loving Dadawa's music leads someone to explore more authentic Tibetan musical works, or to read up on Tibetan culture, or even to book a flight to Tibet, well that's a start. Yes, I do feel that the Chinese occupation of Tibet is reprehensible, but that is not enough excuse to accuse Dadawa of profiteering from Tibetan culture. Her love for Tibetan music is apparent to anyone who genuinely listens to her works without political bias, and I for one think Dadawa's CDs are a must in any serious music lover's collection. Do yourself a favour and buy both "Sister Drum" and "Voices from the Sky". You'll find yourself chanting "Om Mani Padme Hum" along with her songs in no time.

Certainly one of the most astonishing albums I've ever heard, Dadawa has quickly become one of my favorite artists, for her own diversity within her music as much as her utter uniqueness among modern performers.

My tendency is to agree with "A music fan from Beijing," but I find myself taken in, in the end, by the richness and texture of the music. Sure it's pop, and not "traditional" Tibetan, of course, but this is to be expected. Being so easy on the ears, this definately falls under the category of "entry-level" "world" music (whatever that means); as such, however, it does a nice job of bringing the concept (at least) of traditional music to a wider audience. I give it 4 stars because regardless of "philosophical" differences, one can't deny the incredible beauty and emotional sincerity in the vocals. Listen to this one when you've had a hard day at work and need something "nice" to unwind to. Her earlier album, "Sister Drum," I feel is a better effort.

I like this album's haunting qualities and its mixture of ancient and modern influences. It is to the artist's credit that she is interested in Tibetan musical styles and incorporates them into her music. All forms of music have been enriched by "foreign" or cross-cultural influences. The result in this case is a very enjoyable album.

Her voice is very emotional and dynamic. The technical composition of the songs were exceptional! "Seven Drums" is a work of art and "The Sixth Dalai Lama's Love Song" is an intense piece.

Listen to it with your soul!!

coz i miss Tibet so much. Her voice is bringing me back to that holy land although the lyrics is a mixture of Tibetan and Mandarin. Inspite of those factors other than the music itself some reviewers tend to emphasize, the album certainly stands out for its unique understanding and fabulous interpretation of Tibet and Tibetan people.

coz i miss Tibet so much. Her voice is bringing me back to that holy land although the lyrics is a mixture of Tibetan and Mandarin. Inspite of those factors other than the music itself some reviewers tend to emphasize, the album certainly stands out for its unique understanding and fabulous interpretation of Tibet and Tibetan people.

I don't think it's like a wall hanging as suggested by a previous reviewer...just a nice little cd, pleasant listening and relaxing. The lady has a nice plaintive voice and the accompanying instumentation is easy on the ears. One still picks up the stark beauty of the Tibetan soundscape. Not everyone's cuppa tea, but nice on a Sunday morning with coffee and stuff