Given the multi-million-copy selling success of Sacred Spirit: Chants and Dances of the Native Americans, its follow-up, Sacred Spirit II is bound to have a built-in audience. Like its predecessor, the collection mixes cha... more »nt and song with dance beats and electronic instrumentation. While tracks such as "Dela Dela" and "Yane-Heja-Hee" meld these elements most effectively, the overall effect of the synthesized sound is heavily over the top and distracting from the gentle melodies and heartfelt cries of Native music at its best. A prime example is the tender and lovely female vocal on "May You Walk in Sunshine," obscured by overly aggressive accompaniment. A more solid and aesthetically pleasing choice for the genre is Prophecy: A Native American Collection, which achieves a finer balance of modern and ancient. --Paige La Grone« less
Given the multi-million-copy selling success of Sacred Spirit: Chants and Dances of the Native Americans, its follow-up, Sacred Spirit II is bound to have a built-in audience. Like its predecessor, the collection mixes chant and song with dance beats and electronic instrumentation. While tracks such as "Dela Dela" and "Yane-Heja-Hee" meld these elements most effectively, the overall effect of the synthesized sound is heavily over the top and distracting from the gentle melodies and heartfelt cries of Native music at its best. A prime example is the tender and lovely female vocal on "May You Walk in Sunshine," obscured by overly aggressive accompaniment. A more solid and aesthetically pleasing choice for the genre is Prophecy: A Native American Collection, which achieves a finer balance of modern and ancient. --Paige La Grone
"IF THERE IS NO TIME, THEN YOU HAVE TIME FOR EVERYTHING....
Soaring Heart | 03/11/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...YOU ARE NEVER IN A HURRY. THAT IS TRUE FREEDOM.""Sacred Spirit II again successfully combines ancient Native American cermonial chants with modern instrumental arrangements through a cycle of CELEBRATION, WISDOM, REVERENCE, AND REBIRTH. The music focus on authentic vocal chants sung by Native American perfomers. SSII deliberately downplays specific song academia but rather allows the chants and arrangements to Affect the listener on a much more PERSONAL LEVEL--SOME THINGS ARE BETTER LEFT UNEXPLAINED." [a sample from the cds pamplet]I love unique cds like this! Great Music takes me on a Journey; however, this cd does even more. THIS Journey is Inside myself--I am Connected to these Chants. They are Powerful and the music syncronizes so perfectly that the sum total comes Alive in a way I can not fully grasp, let alone, explain! Rarely do I come across something so beautiful that I feel I can not adequately review it. This is one of those times, but I am going for it anyway. Why? If just one other person in the whole world buys this and is touched the way I am, I will be happy. Reviews are many things to many people. For me, they are a discovery of something beautiful and intangible--something inside myself. I am growing and I trust you are too. Good luck on Your Journey. Don't stand still--Soar!SOARING HEART"
Understanding the Sacred Spirit CD title confusion
Guardian of the Zen Sea | Looking after the sun and surf | 02/17/2001
(2 out of 5 stars)
"OK, get your Sacred Spirits StraightAs far as I can tell there are now "three" Sacred Spirit CDs. There is the original Native American/ambient CD which first came out in Virgin. That was followed by Sacred Spirit 2 (NOT this CD--AND I have seen "2" US with ANOTHER title), also on Virgin. Now there is a "new" Sacred Spirit II (not to be confused with 2), whcih is also Native American music, but on the Higher Octave label. OK. Here's the skinny: Sacred Spirit 1 is excellent. It is great to listen to from one end to another and has a wonderful spiritual feel. Sacred Spirit 2 (not II) is a mix of African-American spirituals with overdubs of beats and vocals (such as a speech by the Reverend Martin Luther King, jr), with accompaniment by a cello (can that explain the cover picture?). Overall it is also a quiet, introspective musical delight for the mind. Sacred Spirit II is not as good as the other two. It is also Native American, but cannot compare to the original ("1") at all.So there you have it. I highly recommend Sacred Spirit 1, it is a classic. I also like Sacred Spirit 2, although it is completely different. Sacred Spirit II is pretty uninspired...."
A great sequel to a classic
J. Wong | Jackson Heights, NY United States | 12/01/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I consider myself pretty well rounded in terms of musical tastes, and have hundreds of CD's from all genres. That being said, I can't explain what it is about the Sacred Spirit CD's that is so fascinating to listen to, such that I can listen to the tracks a million time over and never get bored!As the other reviewers here have stated, this music in this CD is so amazing, that you can it can affect you when you listen to it. The fusion of the modern instruments with Native American chants can only be described as "perfect." There is a perfect balance of the new and old.Even Enigma's fusion of Gregorian Chants and synthesizers isn't as well done as this album (or it's predecessor). Enigma's music more heavily leans towards "rock" compared to Sacred Spirits'.I liked the first Sacred Spirits CD better, but this one isn't far behind. As with the first CD, this music is great to listen to in the background as you go about your other business.I can't recommend this CD enough to people interested in ambient/mood type music."
Get in touch again with your own Sacred Spirit
12of13 | Hawaii USA | 04/20/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I enjoyed the first CD so much that I was also inspired to buy this one. Because there are no English translations, you form your own personal bond with each track. My favorite tracks are "Yane-Heja-Hee" and "That Noble Dream." Though traditionalists may be disappointed, my heart knows what it likes. The use of the synth music helps make it more palatable to those just getting to know Native American Chants and Dances. This is one of my favorite CD's and I HIGHLY recommend its purchase."
"capturing the spirit of the past & the present"
J. Lovins | Missouri-USA | 11/18/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Much of todays genre of New Age is sprinkled with tidbits of this and that, but Higher Octave gives us the meaning of what Native American music stems from...peace, caring and loving reflections is the only thoughts that come to mind when listening to this title.Selections that stand out are ~ "DELA DELA"..."YANE-HEJA-HEE"..."THAT NOBLE DREAM", all contain something that will leave an impression of what this country was all about before the settlers came and changed their lives.Total Time: 51:16 on 12 Tracks ~ Higher Octave 50383 ~ (2000)"