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April 27, 2017

Listen to the Trees: Why This is the Best Mindful Music Right Now.

Music is a universal heartbeat that we all tune in to.

Lately, I’ve found that the commercial music we have available doesn’t really resonate with me. Although I did enjoy it for a time—these days, I just find that it no longer feeds my soul. Yet, the songs always seem to get stuck in my head, whether I like them or not—they’re always catchy in some way that clings to the brain (especially a bored brain)!

This is less of a problem now that my taste in music has changed. When I started listening to underground artists (artists that make music within subcultures), I found music I can meditate to and write to.

I now listen to a genre of music called psychedelic trance. Whenever I do, I find that it takes me deeper into the realms of my consciousness. One of the first artists I ever heard from this genre of music was Kalya Scintilla.

Aside from his music, he and his wife are both inspirational beings who share in awareness and love with their audiences.

This is an excerpt from a recent Facebook post of his that left me feeling moved and inspired:

“…I still have so many questions about where I’m going and what I’m doing. I let go of it all, open to the ever-present possibility, and trust…trust that as long as I still the mind, be present with what is, and listen to what the heart has to say, I will always be on the right path.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the journey thus far, thank you for having the courage to show up and listen with your whole being, for receiving the messages and intentions woven deep within the tapestry of song and performance. Eternal gratitude!”

His wife, Eve Olution, performs on stage with him. The energy behind their performances is, honestly, indescribable. Eve adds her dance as another layer or dimension to his music, which gives the audience a vibrant and spiritual audio-visual experience.

This is a brief video I took during their performance in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2015.

Kalya’s passion for music is potent, and he uses his yummy tunes to spread awareness of and gratitude for the earth. The Huffington Post wrote an article detailing the mission of Kalya and Eve Olution’s most recent tour, the Earth Heart Tour. The proceeds from this tour will directly fund the Ahu Lani Sactuary, benefiting ears and earth alike!

Last year, in June, Kalya Scintilla released “Listen to the Trees,” a four-song EP dedicated to our beloved earth and trees. The genre is a mix of many elements, including “glitch, funk, electronic, tribal, world fusion, organic,” and more. It has a deep, rolling, playful bass mixed in with funky, groovy overlays. The glitch component jolts the songs with vibrancy and infuses the EP with a raw feeling. We are returning to our roots through our headphones with Kalya as our musical guide.

This collection of songs connects us to our past through the enduring presence of trees and nature, and it also projects us into possibilities for our future collaborations with the environment.

This is my favourite quote from the EP:

“You must find balance within yourself before you can bring balance to the world.”

It’s one of those albums where every song takes a turn at being your favourite—for a moment, they each shine their way into our lives and enliven our playlists.

The songs are mostly instrumental, but there are moments with lyrics that softly suggest evolution. This album is soul food. It is infused with honest, passionate, humble creativity. It takes the mind on a journey and puts a divine bounce in the body.

This is the kind of music that makes me want to grow in kindness, compassion, and awareness. It brings me peace and joy. One listen opens me up to the beauty we can bring to the world with our talents and prompts me to seek beauty in the rest of my day. I hope it can bring some beauty to yours as well!

 

~

Author: Katila Whiteman 

Image: Pixabay; Instagram @kalyascintilla

Editor: Yoli Ramazzina

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Katila Whiteman