‘RASA’ by Vineetha Menon is a tranquil and transcendent album. The ancient devotional songs from India are given a mellow and contemporary treatment. The musical inspiration is from the spiritual love story of Krishna and his consort Radha and their celestial dance of romance. The emotions in the songs are so strong you do not even have to know the language to be moved. The album opens with the gentle tones of “Interlude: The Gopis Pray to Divine Mother”. This is followed by “Aganitha Tara (Invocation to the Divine Mother’s Cosmic Dance)”, which has a slightly more upbeat feel and conveys a sense of the music moving to the rhythm of the cosmos.
“Vanamali Vasudeva” and “Bhajman Radhe Govinda Hari” have a velvety smooth quality and a soothing spiritual intensity. Vineetha’s singing voice is restrained, pure and direct, somehow conveying an extraordinary sincerity. “Krishna Gopal” has a warmer, rounder feel, while “Venugana rasika (Krishna enchanted by the divine flute)” has a very spacey feel and the instruments are all allowed to breathe and shimmer, evoking the image of Krishna playing his flute in a woodland glade. “Madhura Madhura” is a gentle, lilting, sweet song and then we have “Interlude: Krishna teases, the Gopis respond”, which is an appropriately flirtatious and lilting sound. “Tumhare Karan” is more poignant, while “Govinda Giridhari” has a contemplative and blissful quality. “Interlude: Krishna disappears” has a sorrowful feel and “Daya Karo” is plaintive, like a prayer. “Interlude: Krishna returns” is a short peppy, happy sound.
“Radha Pyari” has a wistful quality and is all wrapped up in love. “Radha Nache” has a playful quality that makes you imagine Radha dancing with delight. “Natavaralal Giridhara Gopal” and “Jaladhara Sama Neela” are both flowing and soothing and steeped in calm devotion. “Interlude: Glory to beloved Radha” has an elongated high note that says it all in this very short track. The album closes with “Priya Radha (LIVE)” and “Mandha Mandha” which both express a poignant intensity. The live version is especially effective giving the whole piece an immediacy and a raw honesty. Vineetha Menon’s vocals are a voice of love not ego. They are simple, yet emotionally resonant and full of soul. The feeling in the songs is of a love that is so much a part of the singer that she is sharing her heart, not performing. ‘RASA’ is a wonderful album for those who enjoy music to relax, centre and open the heart.
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