Amrita - Amrita [self-released album]

Put out on the Canadian music circuit as a self-titled and self- a.k.a. fully indepently released nine track CD album on May 15th, 2k26 is the full-length longplay debut by Amrita, the core duo comprised of Anita Katakkar and Kayla Milmine who are fusing their instruments of choice, tabla and soprano sax, with selected guest appearances to create a roughly 53 minutes journey beyond the known world of Improv and World Fusion. Aiming for an amalgamation of Jazz / Improv and Hindustani music in particular Amrita open up with "Take Flight" and its combination of Jazz-informed, yet somewhat oriental and in the opening sequence ever spiralling, later somewhat Bop-oriented sax lines paired with a sparse, yet rolling rhythmic foundation which gives way to the sweet and seductive late night groove of "Clinton Street 7", a tune which comes with a rather unexpected vocal introduction, whereas the "English Breakfast" starts from a point of deeply spiritual late night Jazz-adjacent music only to see the tabla speed up significantly, introducing rhythmic fire and spiritualism over the course of the tunes playtime. With these three pieces laying out the foundation for things to come the shortest cut "Heavy Bird" turns out to be rather agile and elegant instead of heavy whereas the double feature of "Elephant Promenade I / II" weighs in a festive, solemn, yet joyful and reverent quasi-traditionalism before "Metamorphosis" provides another thrilling vocal intro sequence followed by deeply hypnotic tribal rhythms and somewhat enchanted, probably folkloristic sonic storytelling for a closing just to name a few. A deep, deeply spiritual and extremely pleasant listening experience exploring a sonic territory which seems, in its specific combination of heritage and tradition, still relatively uncharted at this point in time. We're already ready for a follow up though.

Album artwork on Instagram!