Tuesday, 14 April 2015

Don Peyote 'Blue Lotus' Review



Artist: Don Peyote


Title: Blue Lotus


Label: Don Peyote Recordings


Released: 1st May 2015




It's been a while since Yvon Mounier (Don Peyote)'s last release 'Heaven and Earth' in 2012 and this latest offering of tribal instruments, Amazon forest field recordings and multi-layered synthised drones provides a deeply meditative, shamanistic soundtrack which he recommends is listened to in one sitting in a darkened meditative environment.

The journey starts with the aptly titled 'Beginnings' where rippling waters and bird song are soon accompanied by an ambient drone which is a quick introduction to the excellent 'Deep Earth Groove' where Byron Metclafe's frame drums, rattles and clay pot provide a ritualistic background for Ganga Giri's didgeridoo.



'Liquid Chimes' provides a brief and haunting interlude of synths, chimes and field recordings before 'Ripples and Mist' adds a dark foreboding ambient drone to the sounds of the rainforest. This darkness is soon compensated by the incantation like mantra of the late Hermana Maria Luisa Tuesta Flores in 'La Madre Icaro' icaro's are shamanic chants which are believed to offer protection, evoke spirits or healing, learnt from the spirits themselves with the aid of ayahuasca.

Eerie ethereal synths join the rainforest field recordings in 'The Way Of Light' pave the way for the title track 'Blue Lotus' where rain sticks, shakers and wooden frog underlay Dan Richardson's bamboo flute, the central piece in this slow paced and deeply meditative excursion which co-incidentally is the longest section of the composition.

'Thunder In The Forest' provides a brief interlude of chimes, drones and field recordings before Dan Richardson's bamboo flute is employed again in shorter but equally beautiful 'Heart Flute in A min' which leads into the gentle incantations of 'Ocanocanoe Sacred Song' which I assume is another Icaro. The final piece of the journey is a mellow combination of deep ambient synths and field recordings entitled 'Onward' indicating it's not an end to the journey but rather a beginning.

Review by Woodzee
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