Joyful and endearing, if non-traditional
This is truly a wonderful album. Yes, it's very non-traditional - and I love it anyway. I tend to be traditional to a fault, so coming from me, that's saying a lot.
The chants are blended with various eastern and western musical forms. The orchestration of it all reminds me at times of Solar Fields and other Ultimae artists, and sometimes of Joe Hisashi's music - track seven, in particular, screams Hisashi (well, it screams 'Tonari no Totoro', but Hisashi did the soundtrack for that.)
I know a lot of the purists will say that bhajan shouldn't remind the devotee of anything other than the divine, and lay on my comparisons to Solar Fields and Hisashi as further proof that this album is lacking.
But, consider: this album is soaked through and through with spiritual ecstacy and joy. Even if it isn't the most traditional thing in the world, it's endearing, joyful, and pleasant. And while it warrants comaprisons to other musicians, I can speak from listening experience that it keeps my mind focused on the love of Ganesh. And isn't that what matters? It's devotional music, after all.
I highly advise this album for anyone who truly loves Ganesh.
And really, who doesn't love Ganesh?