Album Review/ Indian Classical : Vineetha Menon’s ‘Rasa’
Vineetha Menon is an Indian classical and devotional singer. She breathes new life into songs that have moved her closer to divinity. The artist has a deep vocal capacity, one that can transfer the emotion of the soul to musical flows. And that’s what she does in her latest album, ‘Rasa’, a storytelling collection that narrates tales from the greatest of Indian mythological texts. She paints a picture, draws out an emotion, and gives us a beautiful state of being. The songs are all so authentically sung. You’ll often find moments of devotion whisking you away to the world and history of Lord Krishna. Listen Now!
The first interlude introduces the tale, a beckoning for Lord Krishna. It is devotional and solemn which paves way to the next song, ‘Aganitha Tara (Divine Mother’s Cosmic Dance)’. A song that celebrates the strong divinity and ethereal femininity of the Divine Mother.
In tracks like ‘Vanamali Vasudeva’ and ‘Bhajman Radhe Govinda Hari’, the artist leans into the sweetness of the scenes. A light and mellow celebration of love, play, and romance of youth. The tracks are marked by the artist’s explorative and storytelling vocal style. And there’s a lot of instrumentals that are uplifting and feel-good that add rich detail to the scenery.
‘Venugana Rasika (Krishna’s divine flute)’ is a contemplative composition, seemingly sung in awe and devotion of the deity. With a melodic flute river playing in the backdrop, it is nothing short of divine.
Like this it’s a smooth flow of devotion, love, surrender, storytelling, and a sense of peace. Lord Krishna is known for his grace, beauty, charisma, compassion, and wisdom. A lot of these themes are explored through tales, celebrated with lovely instrumentals, and presented like poetry. Each song with verses and poetic elements that shows you paradise. In ‘Madhura Madhura’, the appeal of Krishna’s place of birth and his lineage is explored. ‘Daya Karo’ is a moving exhibition of mercy and kindness as it manifests in humanity. ‘Radha Pyari’ is a song that traces the essence and spirit of Radha, Lord Krishna’s lover.
While some songs have a Carnatic music influence, the later parts of the album have a more modern, commercial flair. Sung in Hindi, the songs craft more accessible scenes for the listener. To listen to the album is to experience the full orchestra of Indian instrumentals. The beauty of the sound as they interact with the versatile vocal flow of Vineetha Menon. Both of them are expressive and devoted to the theme, in a way that inspires the feeling in the listener as well. It’s a beautiful collection. Even if you don’t understand the language, the emotion will translate, ground you and elevate you both.
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The album is available for streaming on popular sites like Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music!
You can listen to ‘RASA’ by Vineetha Menon here -
