Sonaljit Mukherjee is a native of India who came to Massachusetts to pursue grad studies in Physics. Somehow, this guy has found the time to compose and produce an album, Dreaming the Afterlife.
His buddy did the album’s photography; Sonaljit did most everything else: we’re talkin’ various string and flute instruments, not to mention the piano. Though he isn’t a “professionally trained” musician, it’s sure as gravity this young physicist is pretty darn smart. And so I will defer to the sharper intellect here and let Sonaljit’s own words summarize his album: “a collection of contemporary new age instrumentals with a blend of symphonic orchestral flavor and ethnic fusion.”
Each song on the album is the musical depiction of “an imagination, a dream or a feeling” that he has valued at some point during his life.
After a soft, ghostly 20-second preamble, track 1 (the title track) launches into a beguiling blend of sounds that likely originate a long way from Sonaljit’s current location in Massachusetts.
There is some gorgeous piano work on the track “A Recall Before Silence.” By the way, what does that title mean? Does it refer to one’s earthly life passing by in an awesome wave before one heads into whatever the next world may hold?
The track “Waiting for Love” is full of deft piano strokes. There’s something quite fluid and effortless about the way Sonaljit plays the piano. Some people bang on that thing like it’s a drum.
With the track “The Road to Limelight,” quite a memorable change of tone occurs at 1:10. The volume may become more pronounced, but the playing stays as graceful as ever.
The title of the track “Colors of the World” makes me think of the Olympics. There is definitely a diverse array of sounds here. Yeah, it’s kinda like a new age orchestra.
Even if Sonaljit’s style may be a bit removed from the bulk of your iPod playlist, you still gotta admit that there’s a lotta skilled musicianship going on here.
Care to ‘dream the afterlife’?
Head right here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/dreaming-the-afterlife/id661841642?i=661841709
Another ‘afterlife’ option: https://soundcloud.com/sonaljit
Or make a personal connection at: https://www.facebook.com/music.sonaljit
Ray Cavanaugh – owleyesgatsby@yahoo.com
