Psychedelic Love Fest

Komalta reviews Bharti’s album ‘Psychedelic Love Fest’

This unique, must-have CD presents delightful melodies of slide guitar, bass, dilruba, tablas, keyboard, blues harp, tamboura, saxophones, drums and percussion, and powerful, fun vocals that fill ‘Psychedelic Love Fest’ with happiness, causing one to pause in wonder at ideas questioned through Bharti’s lyrics.

The eight songs and two instrumentals carry one to rich, deep spaces inquiring what’s it all about? and sending the listener on a journey of discovery, self-inspection and reflection; for all of the playfulness and seeking come to silence in the last movement ‘Satie’, which brings all of the questions to a full stop.

The first song sets a lively mood: ‘Bhartopia’ rings in the forces of nature kicking off with big horns and Afro-Caribbean drums; the witty saxophone and vocals describe the gratitude for gifts of dancing fireflies, exotic food and the abundance of pleasures found on this vegan retreat center that Bharti and friends have created high above the sea in the beautiful tropics of Jamaica.

‘All is Bliss’ is a slow blues tale, a happy song with a story-line of life’s ups and downs – and the way out! This one is free from worry due to the blues harp.

In ‘Coming Up Roses’, a man finds himself the owner of a tropical farm. This song plays with the senses while Bharti whispers the secrets; the guitar and blues harp rhythm start off slow and build tempo, taking one inside the feeling of a happy, simple life in paradise!

The fourth track is a poem set to an ambient soundscape: ‘The View From Freda’s Palace’ tells of the ever-changing scene overlooking the mystical land of Bhartopia; the lovely birds’ dancing, the movement of the winds, seasons and changes of colors and sounds.

‘Brazil’ is a love song for the country and its people. Dancing to this samba is just as fun as the tropical rhythms of the vast, diverse land.

In ‘Rainy Days in Rio’, Bharti shares sage and sexy advice and rhetorical questions about life, travel and God, which carry the listener to inquisitive exotic inner spaces.

Enjoyment of the next song is immediate as the pace shifts, an instrumental, ‘Fountain of Youth’, has a soulful, swaying tamboura, joyful tabla and guitar melody; the mystical tune draws upon one’s playfulness and introspection.

‘Snakes and Ladders’ is a country blues with a hypnotic riff and a shopping list of opposites; all is accepted, yet neither this nor that.

Twists in logic are offered in the clear vocals and upbeat drums of ‘Psychedelic Love Fest’; a happy tune asks the universe about the silly contrasts in the human condition.

‘Satie’ relaxes the spirit as the sweet moaning of the dilruba lifts us to a soft, satisfied place to journey along, the harmony awakening deep feelings of belonging within this existence.

Review by Antar Komalta, Osho News

Available from anandobharti.bandcamp.com where you can also listen to the tracks before buying

Tracks
Bhartopia – Caribbean Afropop
All Is Bliss – Blues
Coming Up Roses – Country Blues
The View From Freda’s Palace – Poem with Ambient Soundscape
Brazil – Salsa, Samba Rock
Rainy Days In Rio – Bossanova
Fountain Of Youth – Indian/Middle Eastern Instrumental
Snakes And Ladders – Country Rock
Psychedelic Love Fest – Blues
Satie – Meditation Music Instrumental

Anando Bharti grew up in Australia, started playing guitar at thirteen and bass guitar in bands at fifteen. He took sannyas in 1979 and spent many years playing in the Osho Institute of Music and Celebration in Pune 2. He studied Indian classical music and plays dilruba. Currently Bharti lives in Jamaica where he is exploring the world of electric lap steel slide guitar. In his spare time he is building Bhartopia, an organic vegan music and arts community. facebook.com/bhartopia