A MEDITATION MASS

So being the huge fan of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy I am, I wanted to review something special for my 42nd review, an album which I really enjoyed and wanted to write about. While looking through my collection, my eye caught on this one's artwork (which it always does) and then my ear told me it wanted to listen. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the album has, before my rating and review, a 4.2 average rating. Coincidence? I think not. On to the review, then!

Ever since I first heard the track available here on PA, I knew this was an album I wanted to check out. The track is very laid back, meditative (imagine that!) and with a very prominent Eastern/ethnic influence going on. That's a good description of the majority of the album, really. The only part to deviate from this formula TOO much is Part 3, where we're treated with a uptempo, guitar oriented sound for a while (only around for the middle part of the song, after which the group calms things back down). It doesn't break the spell of the album, though - by the time you get to Part 3, you're most likely going to be calmed down considerably and going with the flow of the music, so the album will just carry you along with its higher energy and momentum. Part 4 brings it all back to a calmer place again to round things out, ending the album as it began, with that dreamy sound.

This album is a very good example of the calmer side of Krautrock - along with Popol Vuh, I'd say it's one of my favorite examples thus far of the "quieter" side of things. If you enjoy meditative, hypnotic, pastoral music, then you will very likely enjoy this album quite a lot. Very highly recommended, and I think it's deserving of a masterpiece status (well, it may only be 4.75 stars, but I'm rounding up). Five stars!