Surya Botofasina, a California musician, weaves together elements of jazz, ambient, and devotional music, creating a rich auditory landscape that is both tranquil and dynamic.
Growing up in a California ashram, Botofasina did not realize that his mentor, Swamini Turiyasangitananda, was also known globally as Alice Coltrane. During a teenage visit to Los Angeles, he was surprised to see fans treating her like a rock star, passionately discussing how her music had transformed their lives. Today, Botofasina channels the spirit of his late mentor, producing devotional music and collaborating with notable artists such as Carlos Niño, Miguel Atwood-Ferguson, Dwight Trible, and André 3000. This collaboration is part of a thriving Los Angeles music scene that blends jazz, ambient tones, and spiritual influences.
The album Ashram Sun captures the essence of nature, utilizing instruments to evoke sounds of flowing water, singing birds, and rustling leaves. However, this interpretation of pastoral soundscapes is anything but conventional. For example, "There Will Be Brighter Days" begins with a soothing, womb-like pulse that transitions into a tempestuous climax, featuring Botofasina's vocal improvisations alongside clarinetist Angel Bat Dawid and guitarist Nate Mercereau's experimental play. Similarly, "Chumash Pradesh Mandir Steps" highlights Randal Fisher's expressive flute melodies supported by Botofasina's deep piano sounds, while "(The Circle) Of Compassion" starts as a minimalist piece but gradually expands with swirling synths and the emotive vocals of MidnightRoba.
While many meditation tracks aim for a tranquil experience to quiet the mind and induce a state of introspection, some segments of this album create that meditative atmosphere reminiscent of a yoga session. However, Botofasina revels in breaking the calm with joyful improvisations, soothing drones, and shimmering, complex textures.
New Releases This Month
Flock, a collective of avant-garde London musicians, presents their sophomore album, Flock II (Strut). This release combines noisy improvisation, chaotic minimalism, electronic sounds, and Afrobeat rhythms, featuring intriguing blends of ecstatic spiritual jazz alongside more reflective, tabla-infused tracks. Bristol-based multi-instrumentalist James McKeown, known as Hawksmoor, offers his second album, Oneironautics (Soul Jazz), which employs vintage analog synthesizers to channel the vibe of 1970s electronic music and krautrock while venturing into uniquely alien soundscapes. Additionally, Marysia Osu's Harp, Beats & Dreams (Brownswood Recordings) delivers an eccentric blend of disjointed R&B, where Osu's celestial harp melodies are paired with slow breakbeats and distorted samples. The album shines in more minimal tracks like "Dream Language" and "Despite Being in Love," where her harp solos are richly drenched in reverb, accompanied by haunting, textured percussion.