Joining the likes of Krishna Das and Donna de Lory--artists who have mixed, to a greater or lesser degree, the flavors of contemporary Western rock and pop with their approach to devotional chanting--is Sada Sat Kaur. Like her fine debut album, ANGEL'S WALTZ, SHASHARA finds Kaur bringing modern sonics and production values to an old-world spiritual discipline, fleshing out the kundalini energy inherent in the swirling melodies with organ (Ramee Jaffee), guitar (Greg Leisz), and guest vocalists (Paula Cole).
At the center of this expansive sound world is Kaur's voice--a rich, earthy alto that grounds and comforts as it induces trance-like states. When all of these elements come together, it is quite powerful, and listeners can truly feel Kaur's deep commitment to her faith pouring through her singing. From the photographs of the meditation poses in the CD's booklet, it is clear this is intended as a soundtrack to the practices of yoga and meditation, and it is perfect for these purposes. However, its highly crafted sound, musical complexity, and nuance also reward concentrated listening.