Mandarava Rose
Galtta, 2019
8/10
Listen to Mandarava Rose
Though it’s been nearly a decade since Natalie Rose LeBrecht released music, she’s stayed quite busy with meditation, hypnosis, and the concept of space. With these influential ideas in mind, Mandarava Rose finds the artist entering new avenues of her psyche-influenced experimentalism.
“Rishi Stars” starts the listen with twinkling synth and moody keys as LeBrecht’s breathy voice settles in nicely to the spacey, calming setting that even includes flutes from multi-instrumentalist David Lackner, who also handles bells, synth and brass on the record.
The remainder of the album is equally enchanting, including the emotive and ethereal ten minutes of “Rosebud & Lotus”, the vocally expressive and subtle pop influences of “Lost”, and the indeed dreamy and hypnotic atmosphere of “Autonomy Dream”.
At the end, “Ocean Of Ah” brings a strong psychedelic impulse on an angelic tune with quivering saxophone from Lackner, and “Hear Today” ends the affair with chilling vocals and strategic sax in the contemplative and moving exit.
An intimate and adventurous listen, LeBrecht places atypical avant-garde jazz moments in this highly unique listen, where traces of folk and classical invade the sonically intriguing delivery. Let’s hope that Rose has more art coming soon; 9 years would be too long to wait to hear more from this ingenious mind.
Travels well with: Phillip Glass- Passages; Alice Coltrane- World Galaxy