Shabda : शब्द

Don’t let the title of Sakya Tashi Ling’s CD, The Buddhist Monks, fool you. Although Sakya Tashi Ling is a monastery in Spain, part of the Sakyapa tradition within Tibetan Buddhism, the CD is not simply a collection of Buddhist chants. Rather, it hybridises Buddhist and Western music, doing for Buddhist chants almost what Enigma did for plainsong.

Sakya Tashi Ling – The Buddhist Monks (My Spirit Flies to you)

Given the CD bears the name of a Buddhist monastery, one would naturally conclude that the tracks are dominated by chanting, but this isn’t the case. The mantras themselves are almost incidental, merely adding an exotic touch to what is otherwise very Western music dominated by English lyrics. The disc has definitely been engineered for the Western ear. Although we tend to associate Tibetan chanting with resonating throat singing, the mantras are, with one or two exceptions, performed in normal voice. In fact, the producers point out on the CD sleeve that the music and melodies are not used in daily rituals as the monastery observes tradition strictly.

Track listing:

• 00 – the buddhist monks – sakya tashi ling – cda [2006].m3u
• 01 – the buddhist monks – my spirit flyes to you.mp3
• 02 – the buddhist monks – secret energy.mp3
• 03 – the buddhist monks – the other side.mp3
• 04 – the buddhist monks – river of light.mp3
• 05 – the buddhist monks – i wanna fly.mp3
• 06 – the buddhist monks – om sai ram.mp3
• 07 – the buddhist monks – way to kundalini.mp3
• 08 – the buddhist monks – blessing for life.mp3
• 09 – the buddhist monks – emotions.mp3
• 10 – the buddhist monks – urban buddhism.mp3
• 11 – the buddhist monks – mystic eyes.mp3
• 12 – the buddhist monks – womanss energy.mp3
• 13 – the buddhist monks – lotus sunset.mp3
• 14 – the buddhist monks – my spirit flies to you (remix).mp3

Bitrate: 320 kbps, size: 80 mb

Download Sakya Tashi Ling – The Buddhist Monks (My Spirit Flies to you)

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Listen track Secret Energy (by Sakya Tashi Ling)

The main drivers of the project, artistically, are Sergio Medrano and Miguel Gonzalez, who not only serve as musical and vocal directors respectively, but also write much of the music, play several of the instruments and contribute to the vocals.

The music, on the whole, is a mix of pop and atmospheric/New Age music, at times being reminiscent of some of Deep Forest‘s work. The opening song, “My Spirit Flies to You”, is probably the most commercially appealing track on the disc, with the throat singing (the Vajrasattva Purification Mantra and the Green Tara Mantra) working surprisingly well with the music, which is unmistakably pop. The main vocals on the song are delivered by Veronica Concepcion, whose voice is clear and pleasing. The final track is a remixed version of the song that sounds even cooler.

“Secret Energy”, characterised mainly by piano and synth, with the White Tara Mantra merely adding atmosphere, has more of an ethereal New Age feel to it, while “The Other Side”, also sung by Concepciуn sounds like a pop ballad. The song is based on the Prayer to the Source of Refuge and the Prayer of Taking Refuge.

“Om Sai Ram” has much more of an Indian sound to it. Anna Caixach delivers the main vocals in a very Indian style, while Medrano adds to the Indian feel by playing a “Hijaz Kar” hang drum, sitar and tamboura, to which Gonzalez adds more Westernised keyboards, bass and percussion. But “Blessings For Life” is even closer to tradition, with the track dominated by a Buddhist prayer. Hang drums, sitar and tamboura contribute to an otherworldly feel.

Indian instruments return in “Woman’s Energy”, which is a slow, ethereal piece that also uses the Green Tara Mantra.

Blending Eastern and Western musical traditions can’t be an easy task, and yet Gonzalez, Medrano and the monks of Sakya Tashi Ling have pulled it off, creating a hybrid sound that offers the best of both. If you like Enigma and Deep Forest, this one should appeal.

Listen track River of Light (by Sakya Tashi Ling)

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