Holo Voyage: Inception

Inception is the inaugural release in the Holo Voyage series by Jivamukti Music, which aims to fuse devotional Sanskrit hymns with the sheen of modern production. Featuring the voice of singer and Sanskrit scholar Gaiea Sanskrit (aka Gabriella Burnel), as well as arrangements by award-winning film composer John McDowell, Inception largely eschews the influence of Indian classical music in favour of piano, strings and horns, with occasional drums, guitar and subtle synth textures. Sanskrit’s lifelong study of Sanskrit is very much evident, with her gently confident vocal and impeccable pronunciation serving as a compelling focal point. The album starts strong with ‘Shamnō Mitra’ (Invocation), with McDowell’s piano almost mimicking a tambura drone to accompany Sanskrit’s evocative layers of vocal harmonies.

Elsewhere on the album, the atmosphere is occasionally upended by some awkward tonal shifts, such as on ‘Patram Pushpam’ (Offering), which establishes a sweeping cinematic sentimentality before clumsily transitioning into a gospel groove for its final third. The album is also often compromised by an accessible, yet somewhat flat production, which prevents some tracks from building as they could. However, the various elements come together at their strongest on ‘Rādhe Krishna Murāre’ – introduced as the outro of another track, before being reprised in its entirety towards the end of the album. McDowell’s piano harmony perfectly supports Sanskrit’s vocal performance, with the strings and brass arrangements elevating the piece into something approaching the transcendental.