Xumantra
The Golden Portal
Xonic
Marco Dolce composed, performed, and produced this seven-song collection of meditation and relaxation anthems. Kalimbas, singing bowls, congas, gongs, rattles, all very organic components comprising this overall mellow and quiet float of music.
It feels largely like a Western application of mostly far-Eastern instruments, and the traditional definition of “new age” certainly has its grip on The Golden Portal. This means there are no obvious weird time signatures, atonal keys. or tribal screaming. In fact, there is nothing distracting going on at any time, everything remaining soft and pleasant, sort of intentionally uneventful.
After a bad day at work you may want to slip this one on. It is unassuming, innocent, humble, and calming at any given second. And with no scratchy lengthy sitar solos (though the tambura peeks in as a drone for one track).
At some points, its soundtrack-ish feel may have you may visualizing that TV movie’s lost search party in the deep Asian forest, but rest assured they are happy and comfortable with that, and want you to be as well. As it plays right now, I feel compelled to tell you to take it easy, don’t worry, walk into the light.
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