Trial and Error Collective
  • Home
  • About
    • Staff
    • Contact
  • Music Blogs
    • Music Blogs
    • Photo Galleries & Live Reviews
    • Collective Collab Blogs & Playlists
  • Interviews
  • Zine
  • Podcast

AMANI (Desert Dwellers) defies stereotypes of meditative music

10/7/2015

0 Comments

 
Written by Parisa Eshrati
Picture
AMANI of Desert Dwellers created a two hour meditative soundscape that is both a beautiful listening experience and a companion piece for meditative journeys. 

Vajra Mind is a two hour meditative soundscape compiled by Amani Friend, one half of psy-dub duo Desert Dwellers. The 21-track compilation features unreleased and alternate versions of ambient releases from Desert Dwellers, Rara Avis, Bluetech, Liquid Bloom, Variant Field, and Shamans Dream, and AMANI has seamlessly blended each artist’s unique offering into one cohesive mix which acts as a companion piece to the collection.

Within the first few minutes of listening, one can tell that Vajra Mind is far more than just a compilation mix. Rather, it is a two hour journey that taps into the unconscious and allows you to find a place for mental expansion and creativity. Vajra Mind starts off with an inviting, soothing and airy sound and gently guides you into a darker realm. It flows naturally into a heavier headspace, which allows the listener to embrace both the light and darkness to find a harmonious place in your mindset. This notion is echoed in the vocals that are scattered throughout the first half of the mix that say, “When you awaken– remember light.”

There are also some sections that are a bit glitchier and more playful which bring a nice sense of liveliness, but for the most part this track sticks to organic sounds. There are some didgeridoos, sitars, and flutes featured throughout that really catapult this meditation into a higher resonance. Water is also a prominent theme, with samples of droplets or streaming currents acting as both transitional segments and background noise. The water effects make this journey feel like a liquid and harmonious experience from start to end.

Though the term “meditative soundscapes” might make people jump to the conclusion that it’s generic spa music, it is far from this stereotype as this music is filled with intention. Vajra Mind is a beautiful example of how medicinal music can be and the journey it can take us on. Of course, there are countless ways to meditate, whether it’s through Vedic hymns, silent prayer, Taoist qi gong, etc. It’s most certainly a trial and error process of finding what philosophy one resonantes with the most. Despite these personal preferences, I think this compilation can serve as an outlet for those those seeking to delve deep into the self through meditation and for those who are simply in quest of a melodious sonic experience.

---

The original version of this post was featured on The Untz
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Categories

    All
    Bandcamp Recommendations
    DJ Mix
    Electronic
    Global
    Hip Hop / Rap / R&B
    Jazz
    Literature Review
    Music Culture
    New Music Drops
    Play It By Ear
    Rock / Indie / Experimental
    Song Of The Week Roundup
    T&E Updates
    Vinyl Vault

    Blog Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    September 2017
    August 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015

    RSS Feed

  • Home
  • About
    • Staff
    • Contact
  • Music Blogs
    • Music Blogs
    • Photo Galleries & Live Reviews
    • Collective Collab Blogs & Playlists
  • Interviews
  • Zine
  • Podcast