Bentley's Bandstand
Sometimes it's best to leave everything behind. All the normal structures and surroundings that tend to hem us in can be erased with music that demands new ears to hear. Aruna Sairam is one of India's brightest shining lights, a vocalist that will challenge even the most open to keep up with her artistry. She sings with such force there is no doubt Sairam is speaking of higher powers on Divine Inspiration. Each song comes from the devotional beliefs at the heart of Indian music, and the intensity of spirit it takes to perform at this level is almost miraculous. The Karnatic tradition is based in south India's temple culture, different from the widely heard north India music that has influenced several Western artists. Needless to say, it can be challenging and sometimes overpowering, but like anything that at first sounds so foreign, it can also become a soundtrack to an inner life which remains hidden until it is suddenly unlocked. World music offers so many sonic discoveries that by now, the globe has become a big sounding board, one that allows energetic listeners an endless avenue of excavation and inspiration. Start digging.
