Karunesh – Joy of Life 2006

Karunesh took an active interest in music during his youth in Germany, back when he was still known as Bruno Reuter. But it wasn’t until he was 23 and took a mean spill off his motorbike that Reuter received his epiphany in the form of new age spiritualism. A pilgrimage to India followed, where he reemerged as Karunesh (Sanskrit for “compassion”). He issued his debut LP, Sounds of the Heart, in 1984, and never looked back. Karunesh was remarkably consistent over the next 20 years, releasing numerous albums influenced by the windy landscape of world music and punctuated with breathy flutes, introspective guitars, and hints of vocal and electronics. He worked with the Nightingale, Oreade, Etherean, and Real Music imprints, among others; album highlights include Heart Chakra Meditation (1992), Secrets of Life (first issued in 1996), and 2001’s Zen Breakfast, which leaned toward the new age subgenre of music for massage/relaxation. ~ Johnny Loftus, All Music Guide

With albums like “Zen Breakfast” and “Call of the Mystic,” multi-instrumentalist/ Karunesh has mastered the art of blending spirituality with compelling world fusion music. “Joy of Life” continues down that road and is his most Eastern themed album to date, relying on the weepy drones of Indian strings and the breathy Bansuri to give his compositions a mystical flair. In the rhythm department, Karunesh doesn’t stray far from the formula of his past offerings, with his signature brand of mood-drenched grooves (sprinkled with tabla beats & regional percussion) blending with smooth & meditative synth atmospheres. The frosting on the cake is the guest artists Karunesh has assembled, which include Govi, whose presence is a bright light in an already shining sea of sound, Chinmaya Dunster and Bikram, who help to make this album as much of a joy as the title implies. This is ecstatic music by a contemporary mystic who finds that unique balance at the blissful peak of melodic, romantic & exotic music.

File: Rapidshare

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