By Pavan R Chawla, Editor – RadioAndMusic.com

Luminous Secrets by Prem Joshua & Band

Label: Music Today

Price: Rs 299/-

Format: CD

Prem Joshua: Sitar, Bansuri, Soprano Sax, Vocals

Raul Sengupta: Tabla, Darbouka, Cajon, Congas, Bendir (Moroccan buzz drum), Qraqab (Moroccan castanets), Djembe, Kalimba, percussion, Vocals

Chintan Relenberg: Keyboards, Programming, Berimbao, Pandeiro, Vocals

Satgyan Fukuda: Bass, Bells, Voice

Plus guest musicians.

Luminous Secrets is where east meets west in a confluence of Indian ragas and English poetry in anglicized accents chanting mantras ushered in by a mix of tuning-fork-pure notes of the sitar draped in pristine programmed cadences, with excellent vocals singing English and Hindi lyrics and chants -- all undulating on exquisite beds of tabla, drums and other percussive instruments.

Luminous Secrets, Joshua's 14th album with Music Today, has nine memorable tracks that are masterful blends of Indian classical, funk, ethno, jazz and trance, but happily, all the divergent styles are subservient to the soul of any good album – the melodies, the compositions. So while the soul is Indian classical, the sound ambience is modern, with unique sounds and grooves. Each track appeals, and none really makes you want to hit �next'.

The opening track  Meera is a modern, punchy  rendition of the soulful mystic poet, Meera's Aisi Laagi Lagan – which takes off with a stylish jazz groove of drums, sitar and keyboards, with exquisite seconds syncopating with the female lead on vocals. Absolutely the other end of the Anoop Jalota spectrum of the same Kaisi Laagi Lagan. You sit up, waiting to hear how the tune will unfolds, and it keeps you guessing, intrigued and delighted at the same time. Runa Rizvi's vocals stand out.

Nine Wonders changes a turbulent yet reflective 9-beat rhythm of a tabla-and-bass guitar-based bed for a flute, sitar and keyboards-led melody with a whiff of jazz. The scale is of Raag Marwa, with lyrics by Abid Husain, with exquisite table work by  Raul Sengupta, who has played all the percussion instruments on the album.

Along with Meera, another exquisite track is the third – LFG (Letter From God). With the Surya Namaskar â€?Mukhi Rudraksh' mantras' chant for vocals, it has Satgyan Fukuda's staccato jazz-funk bass guitar  riffs syncopating with Raul Sengupta's brilliant tabla, each instrument riding and complementing the swell of the other. Moonchild Lewis' electric guitar shines, and Prem Joshua's Bansuri holds it all beautifully together.

The title track celebrates the Persian poet Hafiz, and uses his thoughts and lyrics, sung in English by Prem Joshua and in Hindi by Runa Rizvi, as a reflective ballad. The gentle composition moves softly along a filling bass and well programmed percussion, the harp by Andreas Vollenweider, and the Hindi and English vocals together create a contemporary, modern sound ambience with a memorable tune.

Hele Hele, the prayer to the Ganges, opens with a haunting refrain on the Gaida (Bulgarian pipe) played by Stanimir Kolev and opens to brooding bass guitar riff interacting with a simple, full percussive bed. Raul Sengupta's percussion ensemble sparkles as he syncopates with the bass with off-beat solos. This is more Algerian, Arabic and Moroccan sounding than Sufi Indian, and is the best example of how a unique, compelling track can grow on you.

Song of the Weaver is Joshua's interpretation of Ghoonghat Ke Pat Khol Re Tohe Piya Milenge by the famous, humble weaver who was one of the greatest mystic poets of India -- Kabir. Sanou Olszewski's and Runa Rizvi anglicized vocals on the very strong bed of jazz make for intriguing listening.

This is becoming a para-a-track review, and threatens to get out of hand, length-wise. So let me quickly assess the remaining three tracks right here: A Light for Your Night, Chandra and Kirwani Namaste, like the other tracks, also deservedly belong in Luminous Secrets, which is a shining collection of exquisitely composed pieces of beautiful, reflective, ruminative music that meander along in stream-of-consciousness fashion.

The entire presentation is as  much a treat to look at as it is to listen to – the absolutely  brilliant CD jacket with exquisite handpicked pictures that together present a tapestry of mass India meeting its spiritual Gods. With exquisitely crafted jacket notes that read like blank verse, introducing and capturing the ethos of each track. The best example of great inlay-card writing I've seen in a long time. Obviously written by a wordsmith who's been privy to the creative process that yielded these lovely tunes that grow upon you every time you listen to them. The entire physical presentation is the perfect example of what would give a  music lover the satisfaction and pride of ownership of a physical recording. Don't buy the tunes on download, buy the album!