New Age Retailer (Vol. 18, No. 5, p.82) - ?[L]ulls listeners in to contemplative, introspective peace??
There are New Age artists who convey spiritual passion, and there are those who convey spiritual calm. What's exciting about Karunesh's albums is his seemingly effortless mastery of both. The composer and producer offers another collection of melodic instrumentals that reflect the colorful pageantry of India. Collaborating with Indian classical musicians on traditional instruments (sarod, Carnatic violin, sitar), the songs here are a travelogue of humid green fields, temples, the rushing Ganges River, and the ancient mysteries infused in the water and land.
Karunesh's compositions unfold slowly but, like the South Indian classical songs they emulate, build up quiet steam. On "Mount Kailash," guest artist Bikram's bansuri flute beckons like a snake charmer's, giving way to a potent and sensuous ambient number. The mind-bending "And the Grass Grows By Itself" hovers around the Western pop musical scale but radiates a powerful yogic energy. Like all of Karunesh's albums, CALL OF THE MYSTIC makes for rapt listening but can also be a soothing backdrop for meditation, yoga, or bodywork.