‘Invocation’ Intriquing Unlike Other New Age Albums

Various Artists “Invocation” (Six Degrees/Island Records) ***

The thing I hate about the vast majority of new age albums is that they seem so much world music watered down into white-washed contemporary adult listening. Dull and insincere.

That’s the difference with “Invocation.” From the haunting string work of Erik Ian Walker and Cameron Ember to the chanting of the monks from Glenstal Abbey in Ireland, artists from around the world have created an album that is both reflective and evocative.

Here, the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan mingles his Sufi mystical singing with a Gregorian chant ensemble from Italy. The Bulgarian Women’s Choir wrap their extraordinary voices around the soul while Canadian artists Danna and Clement create winding electronic soundscapes.

“Invocation” touches places both aerial and spiritual. It moves slowly for the most part, but remains an intriguing journey. , DataTimes