Akasha

It's always fun to dig into the creative souls of inventive new age musicians and see what makes their spirits tick. Usually, as in the case of Danish composer and multi-instrumentalist Torben Thoger, the concept is at least as interesting as the music that flows from it. His liner notes explain that his unique synthesis of classical, rock, and new age — which artfully and excitingly swirls symphonic textures, lush piano melodies, Eastern sitar touches, choral passages, and flamenco guitar energies — comes from the idea of Akasha. He explains that this is a 5000-year-old Sanskrit word that means "ethereal energy," the first of five material elements of which the physical universe is composed. Every thought, word,and deed from the past is recorded in the Universal memory called the Akashic Record. The past is the key to understanding the future. Even if you're grounded in a more material reality, Akasha can be enjoyed solely on its musical merits. Thoger divides his studio time between his home on the Danish Isle of Samso and another in Spain. The Spanish influence is gloriously apparent on one of the most intriguing and expansive tracks, "Chilli Flamenco" which, as its title suggests, combines over nearly ten minutes of gracefully exotic flamenco guitar strains, ambient synth washes, spicy electric guitars, and seductive rhythms. The fun part of great new age music is that the artist can synthesize any element he or she wants and for as long as it takes to make the listener feel relaxed and/or transcendent. On the opening title track, Thoger achieves this with a blend of bright classical piano and the mystical solo violin of Armando Garcia, enhanced with a soaring electric new age jam vibe. Other tracks like "Beyond Boundaries" dig deeper spiritually via darker moods, heavier rhythm patterns, and ancient choir and chant touches. The collection culminates with a trippy and ultra-hypnotic "IAO" chant that takes us higher for exactly 11 minutes. Along the way, Thoger achieves his aim of delivering the many sounds of love with sounds that are passionate, joyous, wistful, and gentle. Truly fascinating and otherworldly.