My Sleeping Karma proffers a heady instrumental in Atma (Napalm Records). The six tracks on Atma are ripe for playing over and over and over again and, at times, are mesmerizing to the point of feeling insensate. As this is a fully instrumental album, it’s up to the listener to provide sense and meaning to the aural sensations.
Atma opens with a nine-minute opus entitled ‘Maya Shakti’. The song is full of browns and oranges. ‘Maya Shakti’ is quite grounded and almost muddy in feeling. There is a darkness and forlornness to the song that sits in your chest. Up next is ‘Prema’. It feels like a natural extension of the previous song, a variation of the theme if you will. The guitar playing adds a light touch, almost like drops of rain onto the forest floor. If ‘Prema’ had a smell, it would be petrichor.
‘Mukti’ is the shortest song on the album clocking in at six minutes and forty-four seconds. There is a muted sense of wonder when listening to ‘Mukti’. The longest track is ‘Avatara’ at nine and a half minutes. ‘Avatara’ moves the sense of wonder to full on exploration. It’s like being lost in the woods, but you’re ok with being lost because there is so much new to see and experience. There is a sense of danger but it’s exciting danger. Listening to ‘Avatara’ you feel like something is going to happen. You don’t know if it’s a good thing or bad thing, but something is coming in the wind. The drumming and bass work are amazing on this track. The easiest song to categorize is ‘Pralaya’. It has a new wave Sisters of Mercy / Fields of the Nephilim vibe (if both bands were instrumental bands and not bands with lyrics); a late-night goth rave type of song. You get lost in the music and movement much like when listening to Tool.
Atma closes with the song ‘Ananda’, which has a cautious feel. There is an unease and unsettled feeling when listening.
Overall, is a decent and enjoyable album that provides a pleasantly lazy and peaceful experience – perfect accompaniment for daily activities, reading, or just zoning out.
Buy thealbum here: https://mysleepingkarma.bandcamp.com/album/atma
6 / 10
VICTORIA ANDERSON