Total time: 45:43
Recorded: 1999
Distributed: 1999
Republished: 2005
REVIEWS
Music by Romanian musician INDRA is perhaps one of the best kept secrets in the electronic music world. Since 1990 he’s created 25 albums of EM, spacemusic, ambient etc; yet his music doesn’t seem to be widely known. Whispers of Nature is his foray into the new agey combination of sounds from nature and relaxed electronic music. I’m not particularly familiar with this use of music which is typically found on shelves in the relaxation category. Saying that, I have enjoyed the ‘Rocky Mountain Suite’ in Don Gibson’s Solitudes series – this is the nearest point of reference in my collection.
Out of a discography of twenty five albums Whispers of Nature is INDRA’s twenty third. Originally released in 1999, this version on the Perfect Music label is, I believe, one of his re-edited works.
The album is divided into two tracks, each of which is not far off twenty three minutes long. In the first track ‘Silvania’ the journey through a lush landscape thriving with life begins at water’s edge. Mysterious synth washes and the sound of quickly flowing water (looped, I suspect) start the track which for a while is ever so slightly oppressive with reverbing synth lines that slowly change hue and intensity. In parts we hear highly treated chorales, and only near the end does the flowing structure give way to include some amelodic plinky notes and brief harp glissandos. During all this the twittering of birds and the calls of other animals keep the piece oriented towards nature.
In the next track ‘L’Amour de l’Infini’ the sound moves away from water and to a nighttime environment where the manic chirping of crickets and other strange animal noises inhabit the surroundings. The synth chords and notes become soothing, sometimes veering towards but never quite attaining a lullaby quality. As the track nears its end the sound of foamy waves breaking on a shore is audible, gradually we move away from the animal infested jungle to the ocean as the synth refrains reach a peak before dying off.
What an enchanting work Whispers of Nature is! The field recordings transported me to a tropical location while the lovely music helped me to a calmer state of mind. Ideal for true listening or minimally distracting background, this is surely a work that will be appreciated by all but the flinty hearted.
2006 Dene Bebbington / Melliflua
Originally recorded in 1999, this album has two side-long tracks, beginning with ‘Silvania’. Gently running streams and birds are surrounded by very quiet subtle music, a considerable departure from the other INDRA offerings I’ve heard. No sequencing, no rhythms, very little melody – but incredibly relaxing and pleasant music.
‘Silvania’ seems to be developing into something more over the last five minutes or so, but then it softly fades away. ‘L’Amour de l’Infini’ starts with crickets, which eventually fade and lead to serene music and water sounds, definitely with a more new age flavor but extremely well done.
Excellent music for relaxation, meditation, or just listening and chilling out.