Track listing: Calm Inception, Emerging, Mama River, Navigating Tides, Crystal Currents, Floating Bliss, Uncharted Waters, Cleansing Rain, Surrender
Today has been one filled with reviewing mostly Electronic artists. Of course there's nothing wrong with that, but after hours of listening to beats and drops and effects-laden synth tracks I come upon Theda Phoenix's Crystal Calm, Vol. II. Wow. Peace has filled the room. Solitude, clarity, and a centered focus on the tasks at hand have enveloped my very being.
Phoenix's bio describes her upbringing, "Living on a float house with no electricity and boat transport only," as enhancing and developing her connection with nature. Add to that personal conversation with Mother Earth, she also pursued musical studies eventually earning a degree in classical voice performance. It is at the intersection of soul, study, and passion where Crystal Calm, Vol. II comes together...divinely.
Her extended biography expands, describing that "she began to sing intuitively, channeling from the heart, creating songs on the spot and performing music spontaneously, creating songs with lyrics on her guitar and harp and also sounding intuitively with Crystal Singing Bowls, and Frame Drumming." It is the combination of crystal singing bowls, Theda's natural voice, and just a bit of ethereal sound and post-production reverb that creates the mood permeating this entire album.
There isn't necessarily a great deal of variety from track to track. The album is intended to be approached as a single work, one cohesive set of emotions set to a soundtrack. And there's not a lot to comment on instrumentally, either. But what can be said is that Theda Phoenix has found something special--so special that a follow-up to the initial Crystal Calm record was warranted.
The mood created by these sounds resonates enough with me that I've shared it with my colleagues and my own massage therapist. It's really that impactful of a musical collection. You should absolutely follow, like, and buy the music of Theda Phoenix. The best starting place is via her own primary website: thedaphoenix.com.