Vas - In the Garden of Souls

On their third album, In the Garden of Souls, Vas doesn't so much extend their sound as go deeper within it. Singer Azam Ali continues singing in tongues; she's an intoxicating priestess who invites you into terrain that's both sacred and sensual. Her voice is framed by her own hammered dulcimer and the percussion of Greg Ellis. He draws on a trap set that replaces tom-toms, snare drums, and cymbals with djembes, dumbeks, udu drums, chimes, and bells to surround Ali with a seductive swirl of throbbing percussion, while Cameron Stone adds sinewy, raga-like cello lines. You can hear the influence of Abbess Hildegard von Bingen's medieval chants on pieces like "Inamorata" and "Beyond Despair," while "Inward Coil" builds from a plaintive folk tune into a classical crescendo. Azam Ali's voice is a stunning instrument, hovering between the ululations of Iran, where she was born, and the extended, note-bending melodiousness of India, where she was raised. In a language of the imagination, she's revealing a glimpse of heaven. --John Diliberto Amazon.com

So Beautiful

I love this cd, it's relaxing and deeply moving. If you like this one you should also check out the solo cd Azam Ali. September 16, 2007

Not bad but not delicious either!

Vas' In the Garden of Souls is a wonderful addition to your melancholy music library with an extra kick. The Inward Coil (#7) is the center of the CD: the rest of the melodies mold around it.

The Indian sounds are soft and fluttery and at some points you get a little Asian flair. Azam Ali's voice rises above the music-her voice with Greg Ellis' instrumental skill is magnificent.

On the other side, the album is a bit forgettable because its river of mystical music flows one way and is so smooth. May 8, 2007

Love this music

Give this a whirl and see if
it cures your ailments too.
I recommend them and highly. April 30, 2007

Heavenly Voices & Percussion At Its Best

About the Band:
Vas is a world music / heavenly voices band based out of Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1995 when vocalist Azam Ali and percussionist Greg Ellis met at UCLA, Vas is frequently compared to Dead Can Dance. It is a fair comparison, as most bands in this genre tend to be labeled as "like DCD", but Vas has a much more spiritual (or meditative) quality that is centered on Ali's wonderful voice. The emotional music is very powerful and humbling with Ellis's drums and other traditional instruments providing the perfect backdrop for Ali.

About the Album:
In the Garden of Souls is Vas's third album. I bought this album based on the many positive reviews here on amazon, and I'm very glad I did. Like many bands in the heavenly voices genre, ambient music often is underexposed and I think underappreciated. The album is very consistent, with most of the tracks featuring Ali's soft vocals and all of the tracks are blessed by Ellis's and Ali's percussion. The diverse list of percussion and bell based instruments used in the album include: hammered dulcimer, tanpura, frame drums, rigg, udu, Fabla, dumbek, Nagara, cymbals, and various bells. I enjoy listening to the hour-long album in its entirety.

Recommended Tracks:
- Sevdama
- The Inward Coil
- In the Garden of Souls
- Lila

Typically I like darker romantic pieces, and have listed my favorite tracks above. My favorite track is "Sevdama" which has a folk-like quality to it due to the Ellis's backing vocals and Cameron Stone's cello. If you are looking for dynamic drumming in the style of Corvus Corax, "Ceremony of Passage" will certainly please you. The short "Beyond Despair" reminds me of medieval influenced bands such as Love Is Colder Than Death.

Similar Artists:
- Dead Can Dance
- Irfan
- Das Zeichen
- Love Is Colder Than Death
- Moon Far Away
- Impressions of Winter
- Qntal
- Corvus Corax
September 15, 2006

"Returning To The Emptiness"

Have you ever had a dream where you find yourself wandering alone in a shadowy, mist-filled garden. A sacred and ancient site where long abandoned structures adorned with indecipherable inscriptions protrude here and there from behind or between the thick, dark green centuries old vines. A dream so vivid that you can feel the cool wet mist caressing your face and smell the musty odor of the rotting undergrowth lying below the lush vegetation. Did a priestess appear in the distance with a voice as indescrible as the dream itself?

If you have this is probably the perfect music to re-create that dream experience and Azam Ali would be the priestess with the otherworldly voice. Such is the mood created by this sensual, multi-layered -11 track- CD by Vas. Titled, 'In The Garden Of Souls' your spirit we take flight into a mysterious Netherworld inspired by the talented Azam Ali and Greg Ellis and cross over to a timeless place of imagination and wonder. Truly a journey you will never tire of taking.

Get the candles lit, turn out the lights and enjoy the journey! March 15, 2006

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