Asha Patera - The Sacred Ground

 Released: March 27

The latest album from UK-based Asha Patera is a mesmerizing album that is equal parts beautiful and haunting placed inside of a mysterious and foggy atmosphere. As an artist who regularly gathers inspiration from the natural world, Asha Patera took the opportunity to study and be inspired by a collection of iconic locations he is yet to experience personally. Over the course of ten tracks, he leads us on a journey of wonderment and exploration culminating in two deeply reflective pieces that form a sort of post-travel mediation on the experience. 

The album opens with “Geirangerfjord,” taking us through misty surroundings that part only to give way to the pure light blue waters represented by an airy and bright synth that casts a faint light on everything around. It’s a lovely little piece that prepares us for the remainder of the journey. The next few pieces carry a strikingly similar vibe that only sees a turn once we come to “Monturaqui,” the location of one the world largest craters on Earth. The atmosphere here is starkly different, emanating an ominous an alien vibe, representing perfectly the essence of a large piece of another world colliding into the Earth and the graveyard it created in its wake. This ominous mood reaches a zenith with “Ziemia,” the Polish word for Earth. The haunting vocal tones of this track give an image of the Earth itself speaking in its own language. 

Coming to the end of the album, we are presented with two tracks that make for a summation of the two vibes presented throughout the album. “Hope” embodies those light and more airy pieces such as “Angel Falls” and “Geirangerfjord” with bright and shimmering pads that float effortlessly through the atmosphere. “Null,” on the other hand, represents a mediation on nothingness that embodies all the vibes of previous track like “Monturaqui” and “The Twelve Apostles.” It is a haunting reminder of the impermanence of everything, including these ancient places that we perceive to be almost eternal.