We have all had that moment in life, haven’t we? The one where we sit under the moon and look at it, really look at it, in silent awe and realize that some small part of us shares its magnificence. It’s a part of the human experience to feel how very tiny we are and yet connect with something that is so much bigger than we can even dream. On the title track of Gurunam Singh’s second album, we sit with him in a Silent Moonlight Meditation, feeling the truth in his words that “All I see, All I feel, All I am…is You”. The Divine shines down upon us with grace and peace in the moonlight, and we can feel it within every cell. Gurunam then begins to guide us through the mantra Ang Sang Waheguru (with every cell and every limb of my body, my being vibrates and sings of the Divine.) This album really is about vibrating the sacred within every part of you. It is like listening to a guided meditation through which you discover more about your own identity and its relationship with Infinity.
What will strike you first, and rightly, is the strength of Gurunam’s voice. This is a voice that was meant to sing and through which Spirit moves easily. After his first album, The Journey Home, people knew how good his voice was. Then he went to India to absorb the sacred sound current of the Sikhs in Amritsar and to study with the classical Indian vocal master Ustad Narinder Singh Sandhu. This is the album he returned from India to record, and it is clear he is forever changed. His voice has come home within him, settling down into the sweet spot of sacred chant, the navel center, and his humble confidence transmits itself onto the songs and into you.
Dharti Hai opens the album with exotic Indian sounds and groovy percussion. The instrumentals are perfect for the meaning of the mantra. Dharti Hai invokes the presence of the earth element, which is coaxed in with seductive percussion. Akash Hai invokes the presence of the ethers, which dance in the air with Indian strings. This balance of earth and heaven meets and finds a common ground in Gurunam’s pure vocals.
The journey continues with a stunning version of Aad Guray Nameh, a mantra that clears the clouds of doubt and protects us by infusing our magnetic field with light. Simrit Kaur adds her crystalline voice and these two accomplished singers beautifully tango.
Like a Calm Lake, the first of Gurunam’s original English language compositions, has all the tenderness of a love song to God. In the holy scriptures of the Sikhs, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, it often says that one should approach God with the love of a new bride. Gurunam has clearly fallen in love with the Divine, and on Like a Calm Lake, he shares the peace and calm his commitment to that love has given him in this turbulent world.
Gurunam then shares a lovely version of Ma, which is a chant meant to accompany the Meditation for the Divine Shield. It is a call for the blessings of the Divine Mother. What is particularly special about this track is that it gives you the energy and feeling of doing this meditation with a large group of people. The layered overlap of Gurunam and Simrit take you right into the meditation as if another fifty people were in the room with you. The harmonies are lovely and make you want to sing along, open your heart and merge into the final vibration of Maternal Love.
Jai Te Gung is a tour de force, an incredible rendition of a powerful mantra from an artist at the height of his chanting prowess. Gurunam’s grasp of this Gurmukhi mantra is striking, and his crisp vocals and the hypnotic groove cut through the darkness like the sword the mantra praises. Kundalini Yoga teachers will like its rhythm that naturally supports Breath of Fire, making it an indispensable tool for teaching. Everyone can enjoy it for the energy it creates. It’s the kind of song you can leave playing in a room in order to create an atmosphere of courage and strength.
Gurunam shares some of his original poetry on Eyes of the Angels, a gentle song that has hints of folk country music combined with lessons from the Bhagavad-Gita. It feels intensely personal, as if he’s sharing a secret about himself while he sings.
He continues this personal feel on Sat Nam Ji. Gurunam sings to his own Soul like it’s a dear old friend. There is an intimacy and immediacy in his voice and a sweetness to the track that is very innocent and endearing. It’s a perfect track for yoga and meditation, giving the mind just enough to focus on without overpowering its ability to hold an asana or sustain a pranayama.
Gurunam’s experience in India is highlighted on Naam, which is book-ended with recordings from holy temples in India. You can tell the depth of his gratitude to the country and culture that taught him so much. Naam means essence or identity, and you feel that Gurunam found his own identity there in India, among the haunting sounds of the Golden Temple and the thick scent of ancient devotion. The repeated vocals penetrate the shell of your mind to get down into the very core, the very essence of you. Wake up, the sound of naam coaxes your true identity, wake up.
Silent Moonlight Meditation has a very unique and unconventional mix of sounds, from folk country to classical Indian raag. The real star in the night sky here is Gurunam’s voice, and the way he uses it to urge you to fall in love with the sacred sound current on the words he sings. This is a beautiful second album that leaves you looking up at the moon wishing hopefully for a third.
Editor's note: Silent Moonlight Meditation by Gurunam Singh is available for download today May 28, 2010 for 10% off. CD to be released June 12, 2010. Enjoy a free download of Gurunam's title track Silent Moonlight Meditation available today only.
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I’m listening to it now, amazingly beautiful music. I loved Gurunam’s 1st CD, and this one is also a delight.