Extradimensional Ethnography by Akara; A Review

This year at Beloved Festival, on Sunday morning we were blessed to experience the first full orchestral performance by Akara to date. They played the entire album from beginning to end, with live orchestral instrumentation. The entire night had been an unbelievable journey of ecstasy, but when Akara went on at 5:30 in the morning, while some of us sat huddled together in blankets staying warm and others danced, we were collectively bathed in transcendentally celestial music that lifted us all to a state of blissful rapture.

Honestly, witnessing Akara live at Beloved was one of my favorite musical moments of the last year, and for most that was present - it was a moment to treasure forever. I immediately bought the then unreleased album and listened to it on repeat for days when I returned home. I soaked up that blissful transcendence and stored it in my cells to return to every day since then.

After repeated listens, I can honestly say that this is one of my favorite albums to come out in 2011, and it deserves to receive the attention and recognition by as many people as possible. 

The tracks on Extradimensional Ethnography are soaring, gently rhythmic celestial odes to love, bliss and peace. The album is meditative, yet permeated with an uplifting joy that is totally soulful. Joshua Penman, the primary visionary and songwriter of the album, spent 9 years dreaming up this album - it was his life dream to birth this album. In fact, it was his ecstatic dream come true to present his first live orchestral performance at Beloved; a festival devoted to sacred music and unity consciousness.

On a practical level, this is a brilliant downtempo electronica album filled with gorgeous instrumentation, exquisite non-linguistic vocals, soaring melodies and meditative moments to savor in stillness. Yet the feeling that I receive from this unique album is that it is sourced in the peace and heart-felt bliss of unity consciousness.

I highly encourage any & all to preview this album on Bandcamp and download the album. Support Independent Artists & Get This Album! It is a Must Have!!